The unintentional Crimes of Grindelwald
by LostLeviosa
Summary: Gellert Grindelwald. A name that Albus Dumbledore had wished to never hear again. Grindelwald is back, out of prison and willing to start a war. To start it, he needs to find Credence. In the center of the chaos is Newt, trying to do the right thing. This is my version of a sequel to Fantastic Beasts, what I want it to be. A story of pride and a dream that turned into a nightmare.
1. Prologue

**Information: English is not my mothertongue, so please excuse minor spelling or grammar mistakes. Authors Note: NI watched Fantastic Beasts 2, I can be certain that there are no spoilers and plottwists from the movie included (at least those that I am aware of) and you don't risk to be spoilers. NO SPOILERS AHEAD!**

 **Thanks and Enjoy!**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story. All rights belong to J. K. Rowling and Warner Brothers.**

 _This is my own perception of the fantastic beast sequel and what i would love it to be, what i would want to have explained. I wanted to write the story I would like to read, it isn't supposed to be just like the movie that will come out in November, but in a fiew points similar. I wrote this story 3 months ago, before most of the trailers came out, so some names and things we know now will be completely different._

 **Prologue**

 _"Is she okay? Ariana?!", he couldn't hear his own voice anymore. He couldn't hear Albus screaming, but he heard Aberforths voice clearly. "No, she is not okay! You killed her", Aberforth was sitting next to his sister, on the ground. Gellert didn't believe him. He never wanted to killl anyone, he couldn't have... He never wanted to kill anyone. "Get out of the way", Gellert shouted. He didn't look around, he didn't care about Albus crying behind him. He had to do something, he had to do something before it was too late. Gellert pulled Aberforth away from Ariana and sat down next to her. "Vulnera Sanentur. Vulnera Sanen...", he began to sing. Grindelwald closed his eyes and focused. He almost felt Albus staring at him and Ariana. "Stop. It's not going to work", Albus said. "It has to work. It will, if I say so" "Why do you have to be so stubborn, Grindelwald? My sister died. The only thing we can do for her now is burying her. We all have made mistakes and no one wanted any of this, no one wants death. But if you don't stop now, you're gonna make it worse"_

 _He didn't stop. He couldn't. It was his fault and this was the only way. He regretted telling Albus about it. There were so many things in his life he shouldn't have said or done. But everything, all his studies, this was why wizards shouldn't live in secrecy. Muggles did bad things to others when they were afraid. And the only thing to do against that was to make them less afraid. And to make them less afraid, they had to be controlled. "That's enough! You want to make her your zombie, like you wanted your experiments to. I am not going to let that happen. You kill my sister, one thing, but you can't kill her and then try your dark magic on her. If you want to do that, you have to kill me. You are so good at making other people believe in your cause. Even Albus. And maybe I am the only one who sees you as the monster you are. But you won't kill me, like you killed Ariana. Because I am going to kill you first!", Aberforth shouted. And finally, Grindelwald turned around. Albus was cowering on the ground, desperatly searching for his wand and trying to hold Aberforth from killing Grindelwald. "Gellert? You don't... You don't want to try your experiments on Ariana, right? That... That would make you worse than her murderer", Albus tried to say. But Aberforth was physically stronger than his brother, and he broke free from Albus grip._

 _"That's right. Duel me now, Grindelwald", Aberforth said. Grindelwald saw the madness inside Aberforths eyes. He had the same eyes as Albus, but somehow more broken. Aberforths sister really was dead. If she hadn't been, Albus wouldn't look so messed up. "I am not going to duel you, Aberforth. I just... I never wanted to kill her", Grindelwald murmered, as he disapperated._

 _Ariana didn't deserve to die. Ariana was the sweetest human being Grindelwald had ever met. She was so pure hearted and kind and only the thought of these muggles that had done this to her... Grindelwald didn't really care much about other people. Most of them didn't understand his cause nor greatness. And he would have never thought that Albus Dumbledore would be any different. There was nothing the Dumbledore family valued more than family. Flames spread out of Aberforth hands when he had to talk about the fear and pain Ariana had to go through. Albus was brilliant. He was the most brilliant person Gellert had ever met, he had the same vision as him and sometimes, when Grindelwald was brave enough to look back, when he dared to, he had to admit it: they had the same thoughts in different minds. He wouldn't have cared about Ariana, he wouln't have done everything he could to try to save her, when he wouldn't have seen Albus with her. Albus would give up his life for her to live again and Gellert admired that. Albus loved Ariana more than anybody else. And maybe that was the biggest problem._


	2. Chapter 1 - Dear Albus

**This chapter takes place right after Grindelwald stole the elderwand. He is getting investigated by someone who will later play an important role. There will be a fiew Flashbacks until the Story starts,mostly Grindeldore. I hoped that this would help clear up Grindelwalds Motivation and who he is in this Story.**

 **Thanks for reading (and reviewing),**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **P.S.: I've now noticed that there has been a problem in my story, that I forgot the space between some words, causing the site to delete some words and has been writing some words together, even though there should be a space between. I'm so sorry. I'm currently trying to fix it.**

Chapter 1

"Goodbye, Mr. Grindelwald. See ya tomorrow again, maybe you'll realize then, what you have done", the men walked out of Gellerts prison cell."What's your name again, Mr...?" The men turned around, he lifted one eyebrow. "Graves. Percival"

Later Grindelwald told himself that it was totally normal for his heart to stop at this moment. It had nothing to do with everything that had happened. Nothing to do with Albus Percival Dumbledore.

"Good day, sir. Still not remembering the crimes?" "I have to apologize, but I strangely can't remember anything. By the way, how's your family?" "Oh, they are great. Haven't you heard of my wife's promotion? It was one of the headlines in the daily prophet" "So your wife is British? Some of my former friends live there. Beautiful place", Gellert said. He couldn't control himself, he knew. This could have brought him to prison, if he hadn't already been there. It was so obvious, this was the most stupid thing he had ever done. "You're right, Mr. Grindelwald. I could bring the Daily Prophet tomorrow, so I can show you the article about my wife and the stuff they wrote about you. Maybe that will help your brain."

"Sure, Mr. Graves" Manipulating people was so easy. And again and again, he told himself, that it was for his cause. But he knew that some of it was just his egoistic heart.

"Hello, Mr. Graves. I am so grateful for the daily prophet, life in this prison would be really boring without ... I think I remember something. There was this barkeeper in Bulgaria... He was so desperate, he told me that the muggle had killed his daughter and...he said, that he wasn't skilled enough to perform the killing said, it was the only thing giving him peace, to know that there were people like me in the world.I wanted to help him, but if I look back now, I realize that there is no excuse for killing people. I sincerely apologize", he said. Lies, lies, lies. But there was nothing and no one in his way to save the world from Percival Graves noted everything, he said about the muggle,Gellert was reading the daily prophet. Percival was only allowed to bring him articles that were harmless for Mr. Graves was absolutely great information for Grindelwald.

 _Albus Dumbledore, the brilliant wizard, and his brother Aberforth seemed to have a real is reported that Dumbledores sister, who died about a year ago, was burried a few weeks Dumbledores attended the funeral, but it seemed that not everything worked out as told us, that Aberforth may or may not have broken Albus nose, because of an argument between what could be gossip was confirmed today, when Dumbledore spoke up about the his words: "We were all sad because of the death of our sister. Some things escalated...We all didn't know what to do without Ariana. It was just an argument about the normal things brothers argue had nothing to do with Ariana" We all want to believe Dumbledore, right?How unfortunate that he was lying, because our witnesses (anonym) can report that it was clearly about no one wants to disturb the broke brothers who clearly went through all are crying with them. May their sister rest in peace._

It was all his fault. And it strengthened his belief in his cause. It was the right thing to do.

And so he read the Daily Prophet and Percival Graves began to forget that he was not supposed to give him information. Grindelwald learned in his time in prison a lot about manipulation. Being nice made things easier than being wasn't hitting people. It was smiling at someone and then stabbing them in the back.

„Mr. Graves... I would like to write a letter to one of my old friends. He was injured a fiew days ago and I'd like to send him my greetings"

„Of course, Mr. Grindelwald"

Sometimes Grindelwald thought, maybe it wasn't his manipulating skills that made people do things, maybe these people wanted to be manipulated. Everyone wanted to believe in the redeemed evil wizard. And it worked.

 _Dear Albus. I'm not going to apologize, because with everything I do and say, I regret Arianas death more and more. I came in and destroyed your life. But destruction can be the beginning of something it isn't something bad. Think about it. When my plan works, there won't be any obscurials one will ever suffer again because of ignorance. And I know, you believed me, once.I know too much, Albus. I know that you are the most brilliant wizard of all time.I know that they want you to be the next minister of magic. I know that you are fascinated of the muggle world I understand that. Muggles are also humans like we are. I just want them to can't hide in our gigantic castles, not even in Hogwarts. We are scared of the muggles being more powerful then we are,with their technique and science. But if we hide we will never know. The world could become a better could help the muggles with our magic and they manage to show us their save the peace it isn't enough to hide. You have to control the others to get them to have me. Even if we now are on different sides, don't forget that you are the most brilliant Person know. You are an inspiration for the people around you. But no one knows even if it will never be me and you against the rest of the world, there won't be a me against you either._

 _Love, G_

 _P.S.: I hope your nose will get better._

Love was a complicated word. The other students at Durmstrang joked, that Grindelwald didn't even have a heart. Sometimes, Grindelwald wished it would really be like that. It wouldn't hurt as much, if it didn't exist.


	3. Chapter 2 - A special visitor

**This takes place right after the first Fantastic Beast movie, where Grindelwald is in his cell in America.**

 **Thank you for reading, hope you enjoy,**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **P.S.: I hope that there will not be anymore spacing (?) mistakes anymore.**

 **Chapter 2**

„What exactly did he say?"

„I couldn't really understand him. But if I am not mistaken, Grindelwald said something like: Will we die, just a little? And I didn't quite understand the meaning of his words. I supposed you could know"

Dumbledore was surprised by Newts Words. He tried to hide. He tried to keep the memories away from him. It was all in the past, they didn't blocked his future. He should not let them rule his brain nor his heart. Grindelwald was history now, he was sitting in prison. Dumbledore had no reason to be afraid. Grindelwald was a human, he had no control over anything. So he smiled at newt and changed the subject.

„You know what? I don't have any idea what it could mean. But how's your book going? I heard that it is about to be published"

For a second, Newt stared at him. He didn't believe him. Newt wasn't naive, he knew that something was happening. But Newt was still a Hufflepuff, he understood that some things did not have to be said, some things were private. He blinked and the moment was over. Newt hadn't changed. He looked exactly like he had before he had been expelled. The same chaotic hair, the same blue eyes. His appearence did not change, though everything around him had.

After minutes of silence, Grindelwald opened his eyes, took a breath and was ready to speak. But instead, Albus began to say something. "I have to talk to you. There was no other option left for me... So listen and...", but Grindelwald interrupted him instantly. "I'm sorry. I am sorry, Albus", and then he fell silent. "I said: listen. It's too late now, you can't change the past. You have to live your life even if it means living with death and mistakes and the blame. I came here to tell you that the only way to survive is to regret. Regret your mistakes and you will not die. They won't execute you. You will stay here forever. Your whole life. But you will live. And that is more than what they left this poor obscurial, Credence. Take this chance, please.", and he turned around, ready to walk out of the cell and disappear forever.

"It is not. It isn't better. They want to put me in cage, they should kill me instead of locking me in here for eternity. They want to tell their enemies, the rest of their world: We are great: we have a Grindelwald in a cage and he is stronger than any Grindelwald before and we had the power to control him. They can't control me and they won't kill me. I am their trophy, their greatest achievement. The nation that caught Grindelwald! They are disgusting, with their laws and their importance of their own power. They are so busy looking at themselves and their people, their great abilities, they are blind to see how broken their world is. The only way to protect the obscurials and the wizards is not to hide them! Ignorance causes fear. Knowledge is power. They are trying to tame me, so I can't tell them the truth. And even if most people don't agree with my philosophy, they are most afraid of seeing their own flaws, the things they did wrong. They don't arrest me because I killed people, they arrest me because I believe that things have to be fixed and that the governments are not able to do so. And that's worse. It is worse than disagreeing with me. They don't even try to understand my motives, but you did. You should be minister of magic, Albus. You should lead the world. But you chose your path and now we see eachother again, after years and years of hiding. And I accept it. I accept your ways, but you should know that you are still a better human then all of them, these ministers of magic, these leaders that don't see the problem of their people. They celebrate their victories without noticing that they are slowly breaking. They were willing to believe that a harmless magizoologist could try to kill their whole city, anyone, besides their own folk. I don't think these people have the right to judge me. But you have, Albus

Albus turned around again, stuck in his movement, torn between wanting to go and wanting to stay. "I am not the government. I don't have the right to judge anyone. So, this is goodbye, Gellert Grindelwald. Goodbye", he whispered. He closed the door carefully behind him and left Grindelwald alone in his cell, thinking about everything. Inside his head, Dumbledores words repeated themselvesover and over again.

Deep down, Grindelwald hadn't changed. His brain tried to persuade him to leave, to not listn to this maniac that Grindelwald had turned in. But he couldn't. His foot felt like they had been turned into stone. There was no reason for him to stay. The american minister had warned him, they all had. He will try to manipulate you. He knew that all too well. The voices returned. His conscience tried to talk him down. As if he didn't already know that this was toxic, that he couldn't be in love with the darkest wizard of his time. Grindelwald didn't care about him, he coudn't have. Why would he have ignored him for so long? Why would he have left after Arianas death? The daily prophet called him a narcissist. He can't love you. A few seconds later his heart interrupted his other thought. He shouldn't care about its opinon. After all the mistakes he had made. But he still stayed and listened to Grindelwald. And he realized that Grindelwald would find a way out, like he always did. He would never be slaved, he was too wild, a burning flame. He couldn't die without even trying to take over the world.

Maybe Grindelwald was right about himself, maybe he wasn't lying. There was no one who could judge him. But you can, Albus. No. From all of the people in the world, he was the one who had absolutly no capability of judging over Grindelwald. He believed in too much good in people. But not all people were good. If he had to judge over Grindelwald, he already knew what he would do. It should not be possible to love someone so much and hating this feeling soo much, because it was bad for you, at the same time. The worst part of it was that Grindelwald believed in his words. And from the core Dumbldore knew that Grindelwald fought for the right thing. He just had the wrong methods and some of his ideas (like taking control of the muggles) had to be improved. The realisation hit him like cold water. He was thinking like he did before Ariana died. As if they were still friends, as if he could still save Grindelwald from the dark arts. Maybe he could have really lead him onto the right path. But the argument with Aberforth had destroyed every chance of that happening.

Albus hated his belief in the good in people, but he couldn't help but being sure that Grindelwald would regret his crimes some day. That there was still good in him, the broken pieces of what could have been between them.


	4. Chapter 3 - the brother I never had

**There will be a fiew jumps between all the chapters. Hope that it isn't too confusing and you still now out of which Point of view it is written. (For example some parts are written out of Leta Lestranges Point of view, some out of Newt, Grindelwald, Dumbledore etc.) Everything will now take part after Fantastic Beasts 1, except the** _Flashbacks (mostly Grindledore)_ **.**

 **Hope you like it,**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 3**

"Leta! How could you? After all we have done for you? We gave you everything Leta and what do you do for us? Befriend bloodtraitors, almost getting expelled because of a beast and now this: How could you dare wanting to marry that...", her father was terribly angry at her. But she didn't care anymore. It wasn't her business. She had chosen to marry Theseus Scamander, and she didn't need the advice of her so-great father. "What do you know? You let your own wife die and gave your son to adoption after she had died, because you did not want your family to know that your new wife had born a (or so it seemed) squib. You don't have any right to tell me anything about marriage. Go ahead, burn me out of the family tree so your name does not get dirty, like you always do", and she ran away. But before she slammed the door, she shouted something in her fathers direction. "He is a war hero and an auror! And just because you don't have the same opinion about Grindelwald doesn't that mean that he is a bad human" And she was gone, gone as if she had never been there. As if she had not dreamed about leaving this place, since she had been a little girl.

Why did she marry Theseus? Because she loved him? Only one of the long list of reasons. She did it because of her egoistic family, she assumed that they would finally be satisfied. But they weren't. Her father was about to join Grindelwalds army, when she arrived back home. The old wizarding families seemed to share his opinion. But Leta didn't think that anyone had the right to rule over muggles. One of the many things she had learned from Newt.

Her brother died. Her brother died. And it was all because of her family. Blood fanatics. Leta never had a brother, not really. First, her parents separated and her father married another woman. And then she died, and left a baby. The baby was, after generations and generations of Lestranges, named after his father. Corvus Lestrange the fifth. Leta didn't like the name, but she loved her brother. She was singing him to sleep, when her father came home late. She was reading fairytales to him. Leta was the only kind of mother he had. She was there for him, because no one else was. One day, her father told her that he would give Corvus into adoption, because they could no longer care for him, and he needed a mother. Leta would have accepted the explanation, although she tried to save him from adoption, if she hadn't heard her father talking to Vinda Rosier about the magical status of his son. The words had burned themselves into her head. "He doesn't show any magic, Vinda. There is no way I can keep him. Our family history would be ruined. It took too long to save our reputation, and I am not going to sacrifice it for my squib son. Leta has already made too many mistakes, I can't allow anything more harm to the Lestrange family" at that time, she had thought about running away. She wanted to flee to her mothers home in Paris, where she lived with her brother, Letas uncle, far away from the pure blood fanatics. The obsession with blood was the reason why they had separated. Leta visited them every vacation, but her father would not allow her to live at her mothers place. Mostly because a runaway in the family would destroy their reputation.

Leta had to read the Daily Prophet to find out. "Obscurial killed by American government, Grindelwald arrested, Newt Scamander saves the day" Why did almost everything in her life had to have something to do with Newt Scamander? The press talked about the abused adopted child, who was thought to be a squib and was forced to suppress his magic in fear of punishment. There were pictures of the boy, who they called Credence Barebone. Credence who had wished nothing more than having magical abilities, who begged Grindelwald for magic, for control. The pictures all didn't move, pictures the muggles made. She didn't realize it was him at first. Muggles looked all the same, her father would say. But the person on the pictures looked like an average muggle, too normal, as if he was hiding something. Dark brown hair, black clothes, looking constantly to his toes. The last picture was made with him and a girl with blonde hair, probably his adopted sister. The girl laughed, while Credence just looked into the camera, as if he had done something forbidden. An article below the picture said that they had found the camera, which a muggle had lost a month before the events happened. Slowly she realized something: he had the same eyes as his father. The surrounding air turned cold. Her brother had been killed by the American government, for being an obscurial. Her own brother, the brother she had lost once before. If her heart wasn't already broken, it would have been broken by now.

 _"So, what do you see?", Albus asked him. They were sitting in Albus room, surrounded by books, far away from the rest of the universe or so it seemed. Grindelwald closed his eyes and tried to reach out. The past, the future, the world was open to him. He could already feel the cold, massive walls around him, he could read the letter that were carved into the grey stone. He didn't even have to, to realize what the meaning of these words was. History was cruel. Was this irony or was it just one of these wrong messages, these dreams his mind made up and mistake it for the future. But if this was a dream, why did it feel so real? He knew, lots of seers went mad, because they could not accept their own death. The pictures inside his head, the world around him, changed. Like a waterfall made of pictures, it all passed him. So many people, so many timelines. He could only hear a sentence until a new scene appeared. "Ariana!" "Expulsion will be your punishment" „"t is all your fault! Leave, leave I don't want to see you again!" „I'll die for you. I'll live for you. It's your decision" "I hate you more than I hate myself" "Always" "I choose you over everyone, my lord" "Don't leave me, don't..." "She can't be dead"_

 _And suddenly it all stopped. It stopped, because he saw Albus. An older version of Albus, Albus who was falling down a tower. That couldn't be possible. Albus couldn't just... die._

 _As he opened his eyes, he saw Albus standing around him, next to him mountains out of books. Grindelwald slowly realized that it was over. The fear should stop. It wasn't real, he whispered again and again. Maybe it was not real vision, maybe it was a fake one. That was the problem with being not a true seer, he had the talent but not the fate. Grindelwald thought about what he had seen. What had been real and what was another version of the future? But the fear took the control. He could only hear his heart beating faster and faster. He had seen too much. Albus took his hands and looked him in the eyes. "Calm down. Everything is okay. Just breathe" After a second he removed his hands, as if he now realized what he was doing. Grindelwald remembered: it was the same way that Aberforth calmed down their sister, Ariana. He followed Albus advice. And slowly, the fear faded. "I saw the elder wand and I saw myself... it was a bit too much, I would say" Albus knew that he was keeping a secret. "You are the greatest wizard of all time, Gellert. Not even your visions can change that. But you now know where the elder wand is. I would call that victory"_


	5. Chapter 4 - Credence comes back

**I will upload about three or four chapters every day, firstly because in 15 days the new movie comes out (YEY!) and because the Story is already finshed, I just have to upload it.**

 **Hope you like it,**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 4**

"I'll have to stay here, Leta. If Grindelwald escapes there will be no Paris to travel to any more" "He has stayed in there for more than a half year. Grindelwald is not going to escape in the next week, just because we're in Paris. I believe that he can survive without having aurors around him every single second" "Leta, try to understand me. I don't want anyone to be hurt, especially not you. Also, my brothers releasing his book in a few days. I want to share this moment with him, please Leta. I love you so much but sometimes my family and my career need some love too. And I can't let Newt down. You know him, he would do the same thing and so much more for me. I think he deserves the same thing" Leta rolled her eyes at him. She loved Theseus, but sometimes he was just too stubborn. "Okay. You want to be back, when Newts book releases? We can do it... But before... We will meet my mother.", she said. Theseus was silent. He thought about it, wanted to say something, but then regretted it. "You see? That's why I love you so much" "Why?" "You understand me better than anyone" "You mean because I don't question your opinion" "Kind of... I mean... Yeah!", Leta said, smiling. Theseus laughed. This was the best decision she had ever made. Theseus didn't question her. And she was happy, happy with Theseus. He always gave her a choice, not like Newt had done. Newt was just there, he had never asked to come into her life. It was better this way. At least her brain said these words to her.

"Hey", he said, "...Hey", Tina looked surprised, when she opened the door. Maybe it was because it was raining outside and Newt was just standing in the doorway, his hair totally wet, even though he could have fixed it with magic, in his right hand his suitcase, in his left a copy of "Fantastic beasts and where to find them", also totally wet. "Would you mind, if I come in? I don't want to ruin the book even more", Newt asked, before he walked in, water dropped from his coat on the floor. "Oh, I am sorry. Tergeo", he pointed at the floor and all the water vanished. "Thanks. So, how's life in Great Britain?", Tina said, while opening the door to her apartment. "Like on any other lonely island" As they arrived in the apartment, Tina cursed silently. "New York feels like that too. Oh, god, Queenie is buying bread again. We've got enough bread for the next year, and she still doesn't notice. It's a bit complicated. She thinks, that I won't find that the bread is just an excuse to meet Jacob. I mean, she could've just told me. But maybe... I believe she is scared that he will lose his memory again and that's why. So, I guess, you're stuck here with me now" Newt looked around. Everything felt as if he had never left. For a second he just stood there and was shocked but glad about him being here. The second passed and reality returned. "So... Basically, I am here to give you your copy of my book. And to meet you... and Queenie of course" He handed the very wet copy to Tina. "I sincerely apologize. The water ruined it..." "It's the thought that counts", Tina said. Newt couldn't understand how she was still so happy, while the book constantly dropped water on her apartment floor. Someone came into the apartment and closed the door loudly. "Sorry to interrupt, but I can fix this, honey", with only one move of her wand, Queenie dried the book. "It's good to see you, Newt"

"Newt? Who's Theseus Scamander?", Queenie asked, the next morning, while reading the Daily Prophet. An owl had brought it and since its arrival, Queenie had done nothing but reading in it. "He's my brother. Why? Please tell me you are not reading my mind again" Queenie looked up from the newspaper for a second, but quickly began to read again. "Well... The daily prophet says he's getting engaged to Leta Lestrange" At first Newt didn't want to believe her. Leta would never... She would never do this to him. It had been hard, staying away from her. But it would be even harder to having to meet her every Christmas, which Newt usually celebrated with his brother. He could not lie, he couldn't pretend. Hiding the truth was something Newt didn't really like. Hiding and lying were the same thing to him and Leta Lestrange as a part of his new family made everything more complicated. "Are you okay?", Tina asked from the other side of the table. He forgot that she was also there. "Yes... I am just... surprised. I thought that my brother would at least tell me some day that he wants to marry someone. But, it's okay. Maybe he just wanted to keep it private. It is totally understandable that he kept it a secret", Newt murmured to himself. From all people in the world, Leta had to choose to marry his brother. "You look very... shocked", Queenie said, "I'd have reacted the same way, Newt. But you weren't... It would have never worked, you know..." "Please, stop talking", Newt said. "Newt, she doesn't deserve you. You're to good for her", Tina whispered. Queenie looked surprised. Tina really listened more than other people. Another owl flew and landed on the kitchen table. It was carrying a letter, on which was written in big letters: Grindelwald is back.

He was gone. And suddenly he was here. He never asked to come back. He never wanted any of this. But the only thing important now was, that he was here. But with himself came it. He had never chosen this power, but even being killed could not stop it. He knew the meaning of it, obscurus. But words didn't help him. There was only one solution, if he wanted to survive: he had to find someone who could cure it. Too many days had passed, he couldn't remember how long he had waited, to find a magic library. He stayed there every day, no one saw him sleeping in the abandoned history section. Credence didn't remember the last time he had slept. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, he couldn't control it anymore. He could control it a bit better, now, because his step-mother wasn't standing next to him. But every time, the chaos broke out and made a mess, he could stop it. At least he hoped that it was really him and not the obscurus who said this. You shouldn't care about them, his inner dark force told him. But Credence still tidied everything up. He hated his conversations with the obscurus. Diseases could not speak. Still, he had the feeling that the obscurus wanted to persuade him to let go. Credence also assumed that he was accepted from the library house elves, because two times every day, food appeared next to the carpet, which he used as a bed. A little letter was pinned to the food: please do not eat while reading.

Too many names, too many books he had to read. Credence was sure: he couldn't live here for any longer. Every time the library opened, he was about to get noticed.  
They would kill him, if they knew. Or worse: they would hold him in a cage, where everyone could stare at him. He knew that he wasn't normal. But no wizard was normal. Credence never wanted to kill anyone, he could not control it by will. It took time to read all these books. He would have never found the right one, if he hadn't discovered a book, lying under the shelves. Somebody had dropped it and even the house elves had not found it. Nicolas Flamel — creator of the philosopher's stone. The book, he had been looking for.

"There is another visitor for you", the auror had said that day. "Her name is – thanks, ma'am, Vinda Rosier" "Please, come in", Grindelwald said. A pale woman with long black hair walked into the cell as if it was a stage. "Nice to see you, Grindelwald" If he hadn't lived all over the world, he wouldn't have noticed her slight french accent. The auror watched them, bored but conscious. "These Americans! Never heard of privacy or what? That wouldn't happen in my country", she looked down at the auror, who rolled his eyes, but closed the cell door. "What was his name again? Credence? He was seen in Paris, yesterday" "But Credence is dead", he began, but overthought it, "Credence was in his obscurus form when they killed him. Well – you can't kill an obscurus fully. You can just separate it from the dead host. And there are so many ways the obscurus can come back into the body. Therefore, Credence is alive and the obscurus is coming back to possess him. I should help him, so he can help us", and his thoughts added: Do it for Ariana. "Good plan. We'll leave this place in a few minutes, if you agree" Grindelwald laughed. "How do you want to get me out of here?" "They want to transport you to another prison, to another hearing. And the aurors who will get you there are: Your most trusted followers: Me, Corvus Lestrange the fourth and Krall" "I am so proud to have you next to me, Vinda. You're still the best in your business. For the greater good", he smiled. Grindelwald didn't know how often he had used this fake smile. It wasn't that he didn't believe that Vinda was a great witch, he was just not sure if he could trust her. "For the greater good"


	6. Chapter 5 - of heroes

**Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading,**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

"I'm asking you, Miss Laurena Kama, for your permission. May I marry your daughter, Leta Lestrange?", he asked as they were sitting in the living room of her moms house. . Leta wasn't a person for traditions, but Theseus loved doing these totally cheesy things. "I suppose the tradition says to ask for her father permission, but I'm glad you asked me. Of course. You may marry my daughter Leta Lestrange, if that's the correct traditional sentence", her mother said. She laughed, but Leta could see the tears in her eyes. Tear of joy. "Thanks, ma'am", Theseus smiled.

"So what are your plans for your engagement party?", Laurena asked. "A what, maman?" "Your engagement party. I'll have to throw an engagement party for you, honey" Leta exchanged a look with Theseus. He nodded. "Fine", Leta whispered. "It will be great, Leta. With lots of guests, dancers, fireworks, beautiful dresses... It will be wonderful, dear, it will be absolutely fantastic"

Don't think about it and it will get better. But it doesn't. It never did. It all stayed the same, even as Albus taught at Hogwarts. He learned so much, he was wiser now, he shouldn't... He shouldn't feel so sad and lonely and angry at the same time. It was his fault, he was sure about that. His students never noticed anything, nor did the other teachers. Who would expect that he, Albus Dumbledore, would have such a dark secret? Technically, it all didn't matter that much. Grindelwald was sitting in a cell, and he wouldn't get out there in the next months. Why would he? But Albus couldn't see Gellert Grindelwald keeping quiet, he didn't believe in this new peaceful, silent person. The one he knew had been a rebel, he would have rather destroyed the world and built it up again, than doing nothing. He was convinced that the world was totally corrupt, that everything would go wrong. And if he didn't fight for a greater world, no one else would. You don't get chosen to save the world. You have to choose to be chosen yourself. Grindelwalds words didn't leave him, they never did. He couldn't sleep, he couldn't teach, he couldn't do anything without thinking about it. He had done too much, he had talked too much. Albus was known as a wise man, the minister asked him for advice. And Dumbledore hated himself too much for this. There were too many reasons why he had never wanted to be minister for magic. But he still couldn't keep quiet. _Don't kill Grindelwald_. He was pathetic. But a second later he regretted his thought. Every time he thought this he had to think about Grindelwald dying too. And every time he remembered that he could not live with himself if he would be responsible for Grindelwalds death.

"GRINDELWALD ESCAPED FROM PRISON!", it echoed through the great hall. So many children had gotten howlers from their parents with just this one message. Too many. Dumbledore didn't even have to read the articles about it. He just started to write a letter to Newt.

Grindelwald is back, he wrote on the front page, the most important message.

Dear Newt, I know your history with Grindelwald, we've talked about it before, remember? I dearly wish that you immediately leave America. I'll meet you in London and tell you my plan. You know that the press and the minister will want me to duel Grindelwald. You are the only one who can help me get Grindelwald. No one knows about him what I know, therefore this is the only chance we'll have.

Yours, Albus Dumbledore

Credence didn't understand the joy of traveling. You saw lots of people, they sometimes stared at you, sometimes didn't. He slowly got seasick and the longer he was on this boat, the more he wanted to go back. But there was no home, to which he could return to. There was no one that cared about him anymore. His family was gone, his adopted mother dead and Modesty was probably in an orphanage now. He was alone and had no money. The only thing he wanted was to get to Paris. Everything would get better there. Nicholas Flamel would help him and even if nothing else could, the philosopher's stone could heal every disease. He hated the obscurus. He didn't hate himself nor did he hate the surrounding people. Credence hated this darkness, it had destroyed his whole life. Your mother was a wicked and unnatural women. His mother had been a witch and he could have been a wizard too. He could have lived a life filled with magic but the obscurus destroyed all his dreams. Credence wanted to be normal: either a non magic human or a wizard. It was cruel, being both and at the same time being neither one of them.  
"Hey! What are you doing there? Keep of my food! Get away, you bastard!", he heard them say. None of them had ever lived with the darkness inside, none of them had murdered their adopted mother, they had never wanted to be normal. They were not left by their parents and abused by their new ones, they didn't know the power of anger. Credence never wanted to be angry again, he never wanted to see the black magic inside him again, it was too much. He didn't believe that someone could use it for good and the only way for him to feel really alive again was being healed. If any of the passengers would know who he was, they wouldn't try to scare him away. He had seen too much pain, felt too much, to care about them, to be angry at their words. So he rolled his eyes at them and turned away, looked at the skyline, saw the coast of France. He would survive, he would survive because he had come too far to give up now.

"I'm leaving now", Newt announced. He didn't say much, he would not have known what to say. There was too much he could have said, but he wasn't a fan of words. Words did't solve problems, deeds did. "Why? You just arrived. Oh, it's because of Grindelwald, right?", Queenie read his mind again. "We're coming with you", Tina said. "No, I don't... um... I don't want you to risk your life again, just because of Grindelwald" He should have not said that. There was nothing (except her job) in which Tina was better than trying to discuss things. Her willingness to risk everything had often caused Tina her job. And she always managed to get back there again. "We don't have time for any discussions right now. You risk your life for others almost every time you have the chance to, so why can't we do that too? By the way, I know Grindelwald far better than you do and Queenie is the best Legillimens in America. Queenie, follow me. We're going to London" Newt didn't even try to question her. If she really wanted to, he couldn't stop her anyway.

It felt so special, yet it was self betrayal. Being here, with Theseus and her mother and feeling so happy. The dancer in a gorgeous white dress, spinning around and the magic turning with her. Newt should have been here. He was her best friend, she should not leave him behind. But was he really? When had she met him the last time? And even after all, after everything she had said to him, after everything he had done for her, she still wanted him to stand next to her. She should not be so happy without him. After everything, she should have invited him to the party. But she didn't and nor did Theseus. She was finally free, without all the self blaming. And yet it all came back to her. "You deserve it", Theseus whispered in her ear and kissed her. Did she really? How could she do these things to Newt? Theseus was his brother, she couldn't marry Newts brother after all the pain she made Newt feel. "I love you, Leta Lestrange. I love you more than anyone" But she loved Theseus. And that was the difference between her and Newt: Leta had realized that she had to be egoistic sometimes.

Grindelwald had thought that being free would make him feel free. The happiness would come, he tried to persuade himself. But he knew that it wouldn't. How could he feel so empty, asif there was nothing left to feel. He had done everything he could. He had to find Credence and the door to a better world would be open for him. Grindelwald was about to get everything he had dreamed of. There was nothing keeping him from ruling the world. The aurors wouldn't find him, besides they were all to afraid of him. He had never thought that words could destroy so much and make so much. He had become a legend while he had been imprisoned, a dark legend, the darkest wizard of all time, but still a legend. There were so many people behind him, so many that believed in the greater good. But they all were just here for him, for the greatest wizard in history. Was he really? Possibly. And he slowly realized that he could never save Credence, nor could he take revenge for Ariana. Ariana wouldn't have wanted him to start a war for her. And if he couldn't do it for Ariana, for whom should he fight? He couldn't fight for himself, he was too lonely, and he hadn't deserved it. He chose to be chosen but that didn't mean that he really was. Grindelwald couldn't give up now. Grindelwald could not stop, it was too late. He was not able to betray the greater good, he had to sacrificed too much for it. Grindelwald looked around, Vinda explained the Eiffel tower to the others, no one seem to notice him. And in this second, he swore to himself, that he would fight. Fight until the end, not because of Ariana. Grindelwald had made too many mistakes in his life. He couldn't undo a single one. He had spent enough time in prison to know that none of his followers really cared about him. The only person that had ever cared about him, had probably forgotten him by now. But he would fight and even if he would go down while trying, he would have fought for the right thing. The silence was still there, but Grindelwald no longer tried to fight it. He felt the pain, he let the memories in for the first time. Even though they drowned his other thoughts and his brain filled with regrets, he still knew what he had to do. Heroes were chosen, because they were good, brave, strong and all of these honorable things. The heroes always survived the story and lived happily ever after. Grindelwald had never wanted to be a hero. He sacrificed everything he had for a better world, he was the only one brave enough to say the things others kept silence about, and he was strong. Stronger than most. He did not give up, even after years of prison. Grindelwald was almost corroded by doubt and regret, he had done so much evil in the world, and he knew that there would come a time in his life, where he would be regretting all of it. But if heroes could get away with mass murder for their sense of good, why was he not a hero?


	7. Chapter 6 - and of darkness

**Hello everybody. So, this is the first chapter in which Malena will appear. Malena is my Version of Nagini (I didn't know she was Nagini at that Point). But it also Kind of fits into my story, because Malena/ Mal (Mal= Maledictus), normally thinks that names just degrade her to the cure she is trying to fight. Untiil Credence Comes along, but that's the Story of another chapter. I also chose only a fiew People (Vinda, Credence father, Krall) as acolytes, they are the most important in the story. Okay, that should explain everything.**

 **Hope you like it (feel free to Review, I would love to get Feedback),**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 6**

A second later the self-doubt came back. Of course others didn't think he was a hero beause they believed their governments and couldn't understand the concept of the greater good. They didn't know how desperatly he wished for a better world. A world, in which Ariana didn't die. "Master, we're about to land in Paris", Krall stated. He was an average looking person, only few knew his secret. His whole team had contacts all over the world but every single one of them had a special ability, which made them different. Vinda was especially convincing and one of the best aurors around the globe, Corvus was naturally skilled in dark arts and defensive magic and Krall... How Krall came to them was a longer story. All of his relatives were dead, and he had never really learned magic at a school. His magic was just there. No one would have expected him to join Grindelwald. Krall was kind, and he always tried to be nice and friendly to everyone around him. But his family had been murdered, when he had only been a baby. He and his family were werewolves, and his sister had accidently bitten a human, when she transformed for the first time. His family trained werewolves around the world to a peaceful life, teaching them how to control the wolf inside them. There was no one more brutal than Krall, he could transform in seconds from the peaceful animal loving human to a bloodthirsty beast. He wanted revenge. They all did. For whatever reason, the people following Grindelwald were all powerful, without a doubt. But society didn't accept as they were. Most aurors in France were jealous of Vinda, and the government had thought a fiew times about kicking her out, just so the hate would stop. Corvus Lestrange wanted nothing but finding his son, his former relatives and friends had left him, when they heard that his daughter had married the brother of a blood traitor.

"Good morning, Sir" "Good morning, Newt. As you have heard, Grindelwald escaped from prison. We'll have to do something against him, and you and I are the only ones that are able to find him" "Umm... Why me?" "I can't move against Grindelwald, Newt. It has to be you, because... The most important thing right now is that he will come to Paris. We will have to prevent Grindelwald from getting there, because if he does, we all won't be safe." "Got it" "Before it isn't one hundred procent sure that his target is really Paris, you won't leave London" "Why not, Professor? Wouldn't it be wiser to follow him and get him before it is too late?" "No. No, Newt it's not." "But..." "You don't have the time to question me right now. Getting to Paris is of course only the second part of his plan" "How do you know so much, Sir?" "I do have spies all over the world, but if I told you, it wouldn't be a secret anymore. So, it is our priority to stay here, in London, to get Grindelwald from manipulating. The second phase of my plan will be that you and your friends, which you luckily brought with you, travel to Paris and meet Nicholas Flamel. It is important that you stay in contact with me, the whole time in which the plan takes place" "But, why does it have to be me?" "You are simply the only one who can do it. I hope that's enough for today, I will explain more to you, when we meet the next time", Dumbledore was about to apperate. The whole time, they had been looking at the skyline of London. Newt had never ever been on the roofs of London before, but it wasn't as special as he had thought it would be. It rained on him and it was pretty cold here. Suddenly, a memory came him in mind. "Sorry, did you say Paris?" Dumbledore turned around and nodded. "Newt, you'll get a cold if you'll stand in the rain any longer", he said lifting one eyebrow, while he handed him his hat. "Thanks, Professor", Newt said. "Don't forget to give it back to me" But Newt had disapparated as fast as he could, Dumbledores words were left in the rain. Leta was in Paris. She had sent him an invitation to her engagement party there, Newt had no idea how the owl even found him, because a totally wrong address was written on the card. Even if she was engaged to Theseus, he wouldn't let her die. Leta and Theseus were trapped in Paris, alone with Grindelwald and no one except him had the chance to save them. He knew what he had to do. And even if he was breaking Dumbledores instructions, he had to save them.

Newt hated being loyal, he hated that he couldn't do anything but saving Leta and his brother. Dumbledore had called him a hero, he said that only true heroes would make such a big sacrifice. But Newt was no hero. Heroes had chosen to fight against evil. Newt didn't think of himself as loyal nor as a hero. In a way, he was just egoistic. He didn't save Leta just because of Leta, but he did it, because he knew that Leta meant too much to him, he couldn't let her die and live with the consequences. It was stupid, it was dangerous. He was so stupid. Theseus would protect Leta. But he didn't believe his brain. He should have been there, their engagement party, there in Paris. Newt would never hide in the shadows, something inside told him to save his friends. And the worst thing was that he couldn't do anything against it. He didn't know where he was going, just anywhere but London. He disapparated and apparated too much, he was beginning to feel dizzy. But he would only be able to rest, when he had arrived in Paris.

Her life had been degraded to words. She was no longer a person, she was a creature, locked in her cage so people could stare at her. No one would call her a miracle, no one would ever appreciate her personality. Maledictus. Only one word to end her free life. There will be a stage in your life, where you won't be human anymore, the physicians had said. But technically she was already an animal by now. The visitors didn't see her as a human, they saw her as a curiosity. She had never wanted to turn in animal. It just was there one day, and she couldn't do anything against it. She didn't even have a name. Not really. The 'enchanting snake girl' was no real name, neither was nagini. It was just something that described her state. They all dreamed of freedom and independence, of a normal life. Not that the life in the Circus wasn't good. It was magical, but they all knew the reality, that they weren't normal and that this was the reason people clapped, not because they were appreciated for who they really were. They had enough food and a place to sleep. She should be thankful, Skender would say. And she was thankful. But she didn't want to be stared at, she should have free rights. Skender had found them all, he knew all of their secrets. The circus was the only kind of home she had. She depended on Skender and he depended on him. As if her life wasn't as terrible enough, turning into a snake for money wasn't as entertaining as it sounded. But still, the members of the circus were the only family she had. Every time, she turned into the snake, could be the last time. She had never felt the desire to give herself a name. It simply wasn't necessary. Her whole life she had lived at the Circus. The only name she accepted for herself was Mal, like all names it was just another form of saying that she was a maledictus. Words destroyed her life and the same words built her up again. Mal didn't care about other humans. She had the opinion that if they didn't care about her, she wouldn't care about them either. Mal would turn into a snake either way. There was no one who really cared about her. The members of the Circus had enough problems themselves, they didn't need her problems too. Only Skender was there for her, and even if she sometimes argued with him, he was there for her. The most people didn't understand her, why she could smile so much but still knew that her life could change drastically from one moment to another. The truth was that she had no other choice. She had learned in the Circus that things you didn't work for, things you can't blame yourself for, these things didn't deserve big parts of her life. She lived her life as if she would die the next day, but she knew that she wasn't the only one. Being a maledictus had influenced and changed her life, but she wouldn't let one word control her.

The tears came anyway. He was alone. Alone and cursed to die. Maybe the obscurus was just a dream, an illusion. What if he was actually a normal boy, with a normal family, who had a strange nightmare. But Credence couldn't wake up out of it, caught in the desperate search for a cure. And he was sure that there was none. He should have found one before, if there was one, the wizards would have given him the cure instead of shooting him. Credence had no idea why he wasn't dead by now. He had read too much in the library, he had heard of people that came back from the dead. People that deserved a second chance. But he didn't believe in legends, although he believed in magic. He was running through the streets of Paris, he didn't look at the people surrounding him, No one looked at him. He didn't care about the beautiful houses nor the huge Eiffel tower. The only thing he wanted was to find Flamel. He would help him, because he was a good person. _There are no good people. They all just want to use you_. He told his inner obscurus to shut up. Newt had helped him and Tina did. Was it irony that the only humans that wanted to help him were of the same kind as those who had left him alone? As his feet touched the ground, he felt that he wasn't in New York anymore. This was Paris. A new city, a new beginning, maybe? Nicholas Flamel should be here somewhere... Why didn't he take a city map with him? He couldn't ask strangers, he didn't speak the language. He saw so many people smiling and dancing around the street. There was nothing more depressive than people smiling. Still, he was smiling at them, as if the new city could have changed his sight of the world. And they were smiling back at him.


	8. Chapter 7 - beauty and the snake

**This is the chapter in which her (Malena, if you want to call her that) being Nagini really explains a lot and helps me as a writer. If you've read the Harry Potter books, you probably know that Naginis venom has Magic abilities, like I imagined Malenas snake form to have (I didn't think she would be a normal snake) to be. For example, it can heal and restore a body (like in Voldemorts case). Anyway, back to the Story.**

 **Hope you enjoy reading, as always**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 7**

Queenie wanted to shut herself out from everything. Everybody had problems, everybody struggled. And sometimes she couldn't take it all – Tinas self doubt and Newts secrets. She listened too much, she saw and heard too much. She wanted to help them all, but she couldn't. This was the problem, not memories and the problems. Queenie, she had never had had the chance to ask her mother what her name meant. But in a sense, she understood — she had to be strong, stronger than most people. Most couldn't carry all pain, most would break, maybe this was the reason why she was one of the few legillimens in the world. Even if it was sometimes too much, she knew that she was meant to do this. The only one able to do so. Newt and Tina were fighting over something. Jacob was incredibly happy about being here, she knew. He wasn't supposed to be in this world, he should't know about any of this, but he wanted to be a part of it badly. Queenie used too much of her time thinking about other peoples problems.

"Please, Tina, Dumbledore said that it's best to stay here. Best for all of us", Newt tried to say. Tina didn't listen, but Queenie did. She could almost hear his thoughts, see his memories. So many stories, so much pain and hope, followed by the realization that Newt would do anything to save his loved ones. Even lie. "No, Newt, it ain't best, we can't let Grindelwald attack innocents again, we can't let him be free. I am an auror, you have to trust me on this, even though I know you don't. Please, please realize, that even Dumbledore makes mistakes. And I know he is wise and everything but I can't sit and watch while the world around me is being destroyed" They were sitting in a hotel room, Newt had booked for them, for the time being. It was quite nice, the walls were made of stone, so the magic wouldn't be noticed by the muggles around. "Hey, hey, hey. You know we can fix this problem, if we just sit down and talk this out like adults. I don't wanna interrupt your discussion, but why don't we sleep a night over this and tomorrow everything will look a bit clearer", Jacob interrupted. Queenie loved Jacob, because all of these little moments, because he didn't think like Tina did or Newt or herself. She loved him because he was himself, because he was a muggle. Silence between Tina and Newt, no one dared to say anything. "Did I say somethin' wrong?", Jacob wondered. "I agree with Jacob. We should talk about this tomorrow again. Today was a little too much at once", still silence, "Right, Teenie?" Tina looked up from the floor, her eyes had stared holes into the carpet (or maybe it had only been her wand). Tina took a slow breath. "Right, Queenie"

The darkness wouldn't leave him, with or without control and Nicholas Flamel probably didn't live here. Maybe Credence was lost, maybe he went into the wrong direction, but either way, he wouldn't survive long enough to find back — he held it back for too long and now it was too strong to control it any longer. The walls on his inside, in his brain, couldn't keep him save any longer. The obscurus was ready to return to his true form, and he was hungrier than ever. It wanted to devour everything around him. The people, the beautiful houses. And with them, he would kill Credence. He was too tired to do anything, he didn't want to fight against it anymore, because he had already lost. He would die anyway, there was nothing that would change that. His whole body felt heavy, and the bright lanterns blurred right in front of his eyes. He shouldn't feel like this, this was his life, he shouldn't let a magic evil force rule him. Credence didn't feel the stone, where he was lying. He didn't feel anything. Just this incredibly terrible power, his magic. Usually, the magic came with anger, sadness or in his sleep, when he had nightmares. Normally, there was logic behind it. logic helped him defeat the monster inside. But there was no logic to it this time. The wanted to give up, he didn't want to fight against it. Maybe it was better this way, maybe he wasn't made for beating such force. If it was his fate to die with an obscurus inside, then there was nothing to do against it. If he died, would the obscurus die too? He would search for a new host but there would be no new one. This was the only way. He wasn't burn a fighter or a wizard. He was born with a monster inside and monsters had to be killed. Credence wasn't strong enough to fight it, and if he wasn't able to fight, then there was no other possibility. All he had ever wanted was to be normal. He never wanted magic, he never wanted the demon inside him. He didn't see anything, he felt the obscurus inside him, around him. If this was the end, then he was ready.

Don't talk to strangers, don't stare, don't listen to other peoples conversation, just try to be a normal average human. Mal didn't really like other people, they all thought they had the right to judge her. The weird circus girl. She didn't look at them, but she knew that they cooked at her. "Why is she wearing a snake looking dress? Why would anyone do something like that for money? Is that a real job? Can she kill someone, when she is a snake?" Sometimes Mal wanted to turn into a snake, just, so they would for once shut up. She wandered through the streets, like every evening. Mal didn't know why she did this. Maybe it was some kind of ritual for her, but maybe she had not given up her hope on seeing Nicholas Flamel, the famous wizard. But rumors said that he had locked himself up in his house to work on a secret project and never left the house. She loved Paris, with all the lights and lanterns, its magic and the people in pretty dresses. Every time she went through the city, she felt like a part of this magical community. As if she wasn't cursed to transform into an animal for the rest of her life, as if she was just like these witches and wizards who had fun and were happy. Magic was a part of their life, it improved everything. For them, magic was a blessing, for Mal it was a curse. They all saw the same stars although their lives were totally different.

Time didn't stop, for nothing and for no one. At least Mal had thought that until this moment. She couldn't hear her heartbeat, or these other cheesy things people in books and movies said and did. She saw a boy with dark hair in an old suit, lying on the stone pavement, his eyes closed, lost in this big city. All life and happiness and light had disappeared out of his body. Out of his skin poured darkness, out of the tips of his fingers. No one should die this way. The moment was over, by then, Mal was standing next to him. He reminded her of all the sadness she had felt when she had arrived in Paris, she knew the feeling of wanting to give up too good. He was just like her, a stranger to this city, searching for a nonexistent cure. This huge love for a stranger out of nothing almost crushed her down. She wouldn't let him die here. A second later she had already pressed her lips on his, she felt her skin slowly turning into scales and wished for nothing more than that this would save this strange boy and that neither of them would die in the process.


	9. Chapter 8 - A new beginning?

**Hey everybody. I had a strange idea, and I hope you like it. Modesty (you know the creepy Little adopted sister of Credence) was one of my favorite characters, especially because we don't know much about her. We don't even know if she is a witch or what happens to her after the movie. So, I did my Research and in the Warner Bros casting call it says: A haunted Girl with the ability to look into the Psyche of other People. (like that). This inspired me. And the result is part of this chapter.**

 **Enjoy,**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 8**

 _"It's gonna be okay",_ the only words that broke through the silence. It was weird to hear an other voice than his own, after so many days alone. Was he dead or was he alive? Probably both. The sound of this voice calmed him down, just like the comfortable bed he waslying on and a surprising strength inside him. As he opened his eyes, in front of him stood a girl, in his age, maybe older. Credence winced for a second, because he saw the same pain in her eyes as in his. She was pretty, but her eyes demandd attention and fear, as if she wanted the world to look at her and be scared of what they saw. "Who are you?" The girl seemed surprised but happy that he woke up. She thought about his question. "My name is Mal" "Mal like Malena?" Credence could see her brain working fast. "Umm... Yes" She had almost no accent. "What happened? Where am I?" "You are in the Circus Arcanus. You... almost died. Because of this dark force inside you. I don't even know why I took you here, it's just... I remember my life feeling the same, before I found the Circus. But now I've realized: there is always a better reason to live than to die" Credence looked at her. Malena had saved his life, and all he had done to thank her was asking questions. "Thanks. Thanks for saving my life, Malena" He had no idea why a complete stranger would save him. And whatever she did had certainly saved his life. "If you want to, you can stay here. This is a circus, we show our "talents" or make artistic things. It's basically like a human freakshow, just with magic. Everyone in our circus is accepted, because he is different. Some of us have horns or are half demon, some can see through walls. But we all have something in common: we are not tolerated by the non-magic people nor the wizards. The circus can help you to become stronger and fight against it or live with whatever you are carrying. Half of the people that work at the circus are carriers of a curse. Me, for example. You also get free food and a place to sleep. If you want to, you can stay with us as long as you want or until... you know, Nicholas Flamell turns up again" He had already decided. This was the place, where people accepted him. If Malena had been able to save him from dying, if she had been kind enough to help some stranger, than the rest of the Circus couldn't be that bad.

"Welcome to Circus Arcanus. What's your name?", Skender asked him. Skender was a tall man, he was a head taller than Credence but apparently there were people much taller than him in this Circus. "Credence" "No surname?" Credence didn't want to hae the same name as Mary Lou, the person he had hated the most. His fostermother didn't deserve him, didn't deserve that he would carry her surname. "No surname" "Then, welcome to the Circus Arcanus, Credence. We are all glad that you found your way out of the darkness into our tent" Skender was right, the circus was basically a huge tent and some normal tents for the artists. The tents were bright and warm and Credence felt better than before, maybe the trip to Paris had really changed something. "If you want to, you can train your abilities, your control. And if that works well, you can work in the circus. You could get your own show, but only if you want to. We don't force you to anytthing, Credence", Mr. Skender was the kind of person, who brought peace into the world just with his presence. He was always calm and kind and that transfered to everybody in the Circus. "Umm... With whom should I train then?", he asked. "Mal would do it, but you can train with everyone. Everyone here is happy to forget their problems for a short time period" Here were other people, that had similiar problems. He would never be alone. "I'll stick with Malena, if that ain't a problem" Skender lifted both eyebrows and smiled at him. "Malena? Yeah, I don't think that's a Problem"

"My name is Eulalie Hicks and I am one of the teachers at this school", the strange woman said. "And what is your name?" She didn't know what to say. Stop seeing into people, she told herself. Stop it, she's a teacher, you can't do this. "Modesty Barebone", her voice trembled a little. "Glad to have you here, kid", the young teacher smiled at her. "Tell me, did you.. did you really..." "Yes, I did, Professor. Yes I fought myself through the woods alone, yes I don't have any parents, yes I ran away, so the aurors couldn't find me. I didn't want to be in an orphanage, professor. I don't want to be one... one of them" She knew that she looked like an animal, her hair completly crazy and her clothes full of mud. Modesty began to freeze, but she tried to distract herself by looking at the beautiful inside of the castle. She had waited outside for too long, but now she was inside. Professor Hicks couldn't send her back into the cold, into the darkness, into the wild, could she?

"I am sorry, but we can't... I don't think that I am allowed to do this" The emotions made it easier, to the point where Modesty couldn't stop herself from looking in to the Professors eyes. No, Modesty wasn't a normal human and she was no witch. She was something different – some kind of both. She saw Eulalies childhood and a second later a wave of understanding hit her. Eulalie would never be the same after this attack. Professor Hicks knew too much and she hated it. "I know what you have done, Professor. Please, you can't repeat your sins. I beg you, Lally, please let me stay. I don't have anyone, I have no home to return to", Modesty couldn't control the tears falling down. Something had changed. The young professor blinked, and as she looked at her again, she saw a single tear in her eye. "Lally? I have not been called that in a long time. Modesty, you are special person. You can stay"

"Newt?!", she whispered, so no one except Newt could hear her. "What in Merlins name are you doing here?", she said. Luckily, everybody was distracted by the beautiful magic dancer, Leta had hired. "I'm here to save you" "You don't need to save me." "Yes, I have to. And even if I wouldn't have to save you, I have to save my brother" Leta was annoyed by Newt. Why did he have to be so stubborn, why did he never let her a choice? There was no danger, he was just playing the hero, as always. But the worst thing was, that Leta knew that he didn't need to play the hero, he was beliving in everything he said. "What happened? And please don't tell me that you wanted to come to my engagement party. I sent you a letter weeks ago and... I specifically said that all guests have to be here at a specific time. Not in the middle of the party" "I thought we both... um... We both don't want to do this. I indeed didn't plan to come, nor did I plan to crash your party. You have every right in the world to be happy and celebrate your engaaement to Theseus, Leta. I didn't want to ruin it. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important. Grindelwald escaped and his next target is Paris" "Grindelwald?", she asked, before she had to turn around, because some of the other guests wanted to talk to her. She would have noticed if Grindelwald had escaped. Someone would have told her. But no one had. Not even Theseus knew about it. There was it. She shouldn't have told the auror department to not sent Theseus any letters while their vacation. She should have listened to Theseus, she should have not travelled to Paris. Leta hated selfdoubts. She knew that Grindelwald didn't escape because Theseus had vacation, it didn't depend on her nor Theseus. It wasn't her fault, but it felt like it was.

 _"Tina, it will get better" "No, it won't" "Listen. You can do this. You aren't going to be fired for the rest of your life. And even if it should be like that, you did a good deed. You helped a child. That's more than I ever did" Tina froze. "What?" "You are going to be back in command. Don't worry, I'll help you" "Why would you help me?" "Because you mean a lot to me, Tina. You remind me of myself, I was just like you once", he said. Tina knew that this was a mistake, she didn't have to think, her intuition could tell. But why did he understood her so good. She shouldn't like someone out of her league so much. Every time she let someone into her heart, she was hurting. She shouldn't, it was possibly a trap from Madam Picquery, to see how far she would go to get her career back. And then she would be imprisoned. "Would you... Would you really do that? How much do you want?" He laughed at her, after she had said these words. "Nothing. Nothing but your trust. You are possibly one the most talented people I know, and I believe that should count somewhere." Tina felt the tears on her face magically drying. "Why are you so nice to me?", she asked him. He smiled at her and she hesitantly smiled back. The world around her was too grey, how could his smile be so bright? "Because I like you, Tina.", he said, took his hand from her shoulder, stood up and left._

 _"Tina, if you ever need me, I'll be there" "You... I don't want you to die" "You deserve better"_ Lies, lies and lies. Tina hated being right, she hated it more than being wrong.

 _Dear Albus. I've found the cure! As simple as it sounds, the cure is only basic alchemy. I would like to hear your opinion on it first, because I am still insecure about it. Anyway, I am grateful that you want to work with me. I haven't left my house for months, my wife is a little worried about me, it would be fantastic if you'd take some newspapers and some chocolate with you. I am sorry for not being available for such a long time, but it was necessary. I don't believe the cure can fully cure the obscurus, but at least the obscurial won't be killed. Also, how's the book of that student of yours going? Last time we met, you said that you wanted to help him, because of everything that had happened. Some people are really hated by their fate, but luckily that didn't stop Mr. Scamander. In dearest hope that you are alright,_

 _Nicholas Flamel_


	10. Chapter 9 - Credences only friend

**Hello everybody.**

 **Hope you like it (as always I would be happy to get a Review),**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 9**

"So what exactly did you do?", Credence asked her. Malena looked away. They were both sitting on a roof, Mals favorite place in Paris, from where you could see the whole city and the Eiffel Tower. "Is there really nothing you remember?", she asked quietly. Credence nodded. He had no idea what had happened. The darkness broke ut and took the control over his body and mind, the next thing he remembered was waking up in the Circus. "Maybe it's best to first tell you what I am", she tried to hide her eyes behind her hands. "You are a nice person", Credence said, but Malena didn't want to hear. "I am a Maledictus, the carrier of a blood curse, which gives me the opportunity to transform into an animal. The point is, that in any state of my life, it could be in ten years or in an hour, I will be forced to stay in my animal form, without coming back. Every time I transform could be the last time" Credence watched Mal, while she told him her story. Credence understood her too good. He hated to see other people suffer, just like he hated to suffer himself. Malena didn't dare to look at him, she silently cowered in the corner of the roof, her hands in front of her face, as if she was hiding something dangerous. But Malena wasn't dangerous, she had saved Credence life and was one of the only people Credence every really liked. She couldn't carry such weight, she couldn't be a maledictus, could she? But Credence had earned that most of the time, the kindest people were the loneliest. Mal wasn't short for Malena — it was short for the disease that controlled her life — the maledictus, just like Credence was an Obscurial. He began to understand. Malena was scared and that was the reason why she hid her face behind her hands. She was scared that Credence would hate her, because of what she was, because she would become an animal one day and, one of these feelings he also felt, she thought that she was a beast — a human who lived with a monster inside. Credence slowly walked to the corner of the roof. Malena still cowered in there, scared of herself, scared of other peoples opinions. Of his opinion. No one wants to be hated, everyone wants to be loved, Credence thought. He took Mals hands and pulled them away from her face. "Malena, you are beautiful. No matter what stupid people tell you, no matter if you carry a curse. You shouldn't let anyone tell you how to live your life, not even me, but you deserve to live it with your eyes wide open. Please, tell me why and how you saved my life" Her eyes seemed too big, as he looked at her. He was still holding her hands.

"My animal form is a snake. And as all snakes I possess, in my snake body, a poison. You might have heard about alchemists using snake poison as a healing to diseases, or at least to slow down the death process of magical diseases. I am a magical snake, therefore my poison is also magical, and according to this theory, I had heard about, I could also stop the death process of magical diseases. So, how do snakes transport the poison into their victims veins?", Malena asked him. Almost as if she was challenging him, the sparks in her eyes had returned. She had trained to not give in nor to give up. "Through biting?" Mal almost smiled. "Through their mouth and/or their teeth. And I thought, maybe I was a maniac, but my idea was... I am sorry, this will sound extremely disrespectful, because I didn't really know you nor did I ask you for your permission. It also is a bit embarrassing and I sincerely apologize again and again but... This darkness would have destroyed you. You were about to die as I found you... I didn't want to let you die there. So, I kissed you, and transformed. As I had thought, the poison did, through my ability and the desperate wish that it wouldn't kill you, save you" "You could have died, or never transformed back again" "I guess, it was worth it", she said and smiled at him.

"So, what is this thing, and what exactly is it doing to you? Can you control it? In the circus, we are all brutally honest to each other, there are no secrets, because you don't want to die the next day and leave a magic treasure behind, which nobody knows about" "It is called an Obscurus, a dark magical force. It exists because I suppressed my magic out of fear, I didn't learn to control it, which leads to uncontrollable power. Most obscurials aren't older than ten, when they die. I am about sixteen, maybe older. I don't really know, I was adopted" "As I found you, you were almost dead. Does this mean that you don't have any control over it?", Mal asked, fear in her eyes. "I should be dead now. Wizards tried to kill the obscurus, but apparently an obscurus is almost absolutely impossible to kill. An obscurus can't survive without a host. As I understand it, the obscurus can't be killed, it will always return and regenerate their host with I get killed, as a human, the obscurus will have to search for a new host. But after the attempt to kill the obscurus, I woke up. And suddenly, I had more control over my body. The Obscurus only came when I wanted it too, or when I couldn't handle my emotions, especially anger." "But if you can control it, why were you almost dead when I found you?", she whispered, quiet, but he still heard it. Credence knew that she didn't want to hear the truth, neither did he. Even if the truth was ugly, Mal deserved more than beautiful lies. "It almost killed me, because I let it. I didn't want to control it anymore, I lost the will to. Nicholas Flamel wasn't there, there was no way to cure it. And if I had to die someday, would it have mattered if I died that day? I now know that it is always better to live than to die, but at that point, I had no faith, I didn't want to live with a monster", he couldn't look at Mal. They both had known, but no one wanted to speak the truth. "Hey! We've all been there, Credence. That's why you're here. You are here, because you deserve to live, because every human has a right to survive. I will help you, so you will never give in again. I am there for you, Credence", Malena said, as if she would mean it, as if he really was worth her words.

"Ready", he said, while he knelt down. He heard Mals voice, and even though he didn't understand her, he knew that he could do it this time. The obscurus came when he called. But this time it wasn't here to tear him apart. He could control it, he was no longer his slave. He could control it. Credence slowly let the obscurus out, he saw the dark force pouring out of him. He heard his heart beat louder than ever. He was alive and he was able to do this. Credence had survived and even though there was no one like him, he wasn't alone. Maybe this was how wizards felt. If he concentrated, he imagined that he could hear the adrenaline in his blood, he had never been happier. The power running through his veins belonged to him, it was his own magic. And only his magic.

"Why are we following Newt? Didn't this Dumbledore-guy say that we should stay in London?", Jacob asked. "Because Newt is incredibly stupid, that's why", Tina said bluntly. She hated being underrated. Why should she stay in London, while Newt wanted to save the world alone? He had no right to leave her. Her brain quickly corrected her: You don't want him to choose Leta over you. She didn't even know Leta Lestrange, she didn't know, maybe Leta was a really nice person. Maybe she really deserved Newt. No she doesn't deserve him. No one does. Not even you. She was not going to stop until she found Newt. She wouldn't let him die, while he wanted to be Leta Lestranges hero. They had reached the white cliffs of Dover, as Queenie said: "How do we want to cross the border? We can't just apparate, what if the aurors find us?" "We'll have to try", Jacob said, determined to face every evil in the world to save his friends. Jacob was in some things just like Newt, but less stubborn. "Do you even know what we mean by disapparating and apparating?", Tina asked skeptically. "Yes, I believe so. Changing your location and transporting yourself to another place by will", he said and Queenie smiled as if she now finally was the superior sister. "You are forgetting that I am an auror. I am able to do things others can't" "I thought that was because you are a Goldstein" "This phrase fits every part of my life", Tina said. A second later, the only thing left of them were their foot prints.

Newt had thought too much about his way to Paris. He wasn't sure what to do, now that he was there and had talked to Leta. She had just told him to leave and ensured that she and Theseus would leave immediately after the party. Newt knew that he wasn't wanted here, but he would have at least thought that he could stay in a corner somewhere and wait. He didn't know any place to stay, he knew no one in Paris. It had been a stupid decision, why couldn't he just follow Dumbledores orders? He ran through the streets of Paris, he didn't look at the people around him, he knew that they wouldn't understand him. He had to find a place where his case was safe, a place with a bed. Newt couldn't stay out here any longer, he hated crowds. Finally, he found a wizard hotel. When he opened his case again, he finally had time to rest. He had the time to think bout everything that had happened, while he cared about his creatures. And now he was alone here, left by his best friend and his brother, to whom he didn't even talk to. Hadn't Leta forgiven him in all this time? He had given up everything for her, but she never wanted any of this. Maybe he really should have stayed in London. Tina and Queenie and Jacob now where alone there, in their two hotel rooms. They had deserved better. Why couldn't he never do the right thing? He shouldn't let his heart decide his life, there were so many more important things. Newt had never thought before that he could love people too much. But he did, he always had. He would sacrifice his whole life for his friends. And for Leta.

He never wanted anyone but her. But she never wanted him. No matter what he did to help her, no matter how much love he gave to her, she never gave anything back. When he was younger, he had thought t hat it was his fate to be never loved back. Now he had realized that he was responsible for his own decisions, and if one of them was being deeply in love with the future wife of your brother, then he had to change it himself. And he had tried, he had thought that he was over her. He was not. Because if he was, he wouldn't have come to her rescue like a little dog or a drug addict. There were so many people who deserved more to be loved, so many people in this world that were wonderful but lonely. Why did he have to fall in love with Leta Lestrange?


	11. Chapter 10 - Or worse: expelled

**Hello everybody,**

 **thanks for reading, ejoy!**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 10**

Leta was the only real friend he had ever had — Most people thought of Newt as the weird guy with an obsessive amount of love for animals. He annoyed others, because he stuttered too often or wasn't interested in their so special hobbies such as doing some boring sport, playing some totally not interesting instruments or talk about the new gossip. Newt didn't want to lie to people, he didn't want to pretend to like any of them. If he didn't care about something, than he shouldn't be forced to act as if he would. Leta was the only person that understood him. She liked beasts as much as he did. At least he had thought that she did. There were so many things Leta had done wrong in her life, but Newt didn't care. Too late. He couldn't hold the memories back, now that he had thought about it.

 _"You did what?!" "I had to help it. There was no other way. I didn't know that it would attack Sebastian" "You should have told me, Leta. You can't just take a jarvey to Hogwarts without telling anyone" She smiled. "You mean, when I want to break school rules, next time, I should let you do the important part? No Newt, I won't. I couldn't tell anyone, especially not you. You would have adopted it or something and would have kept it forever. I just wanted to help it. But it doesn't matter now, Sebastian's already told the headmaster. I can't do anything against my expulsion", she said. Newt saw the tears in her eyes. He hated to see her sad. "Leta, there is always a way", he whispered, before he wiped her tears away. "Newt, before I go, you should know, you're the best friend I've ever had", she murmured._

 _"What exactly happened, Mr. Scamander?" "Leta already told you, I don't think there are anymore explanations needed" "Why are you here, then, if you are not willing to help?" "Professor... umm..." "What do you mean by umm, Mr. Scamander?" "It was all my fault. Leta shouldn't be blamed for anything I have done. It was my idea to take a jarvey to Hogwarts. This is why I willingly choose to take Letas punishment" Professor Dippet believed him, he just looked a bit surprised. "Are you sure that you choose this path? We won't take your wand, because Miss Lestrange did the deed. The only punishment that will follow so now be your expulsion, Mr. Scamander, is that correct?" "Yes it is, sir" "With these words, Mr. Newton Scamander be now expelled from the Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry", the headmaster said, and spoke some magic words. Newt didn't look up, he didn't even have to, to know that Albus Dumbledore was staring at him. But he had chosen. Everybody in this room, all of these professors, thought that he had chosen to be selfless and sacrifice his education for his best friend. But Newt wasn't selfless, he was more egoistic than ever. He did it for himself, because he didn't want Leta to be expelled, didn't want her to be hurt. Because if she wasn't expelled, if she didn't have to suffer, he would be happy._

 _"Newt, I never wanted you to do anything for me! I never wanted you to take the blame for anything. I should be punished for the things I have done, but instead you are more stubborn than ever! Don't you think I chose to be responsible? A part of growing up is becoming responsible for your own ways, Newt. I never asked you to choose for me. You could have at least asked me before deciding my future! And I thought you would really understand me, understand that I want to be free. But it seems to be that you didn't really understand me ever, because if you did, you wouldn't just do this to me! I never wanted you to be my hero, I never wanted you to sacrifice anything for me! You know what: I will have to tell you this, because I may never see you again, after your stupid decision. You are nothing more but a stupid, stubborn and egoistic Hufflepuff. You don't think about others, you don't ask your friends. Yes, you don't think about anybody but yourself and how you feel. And maybe that's reason why you never had any friends" Letas words were knifes, which were now stuck in his heart for ever. But it was worse to see the hate and anger in Letas eyes, and her tears falling down to the ground. "Leta, I just wanted you to be happy", he whispered, but she still heard him. "Yes, of course, you had the best motives in the world, Newt. But maybe things don't always work the way they should. You see, I am not happy, not a bit. Everything you do, everything you say, it chokes me and disgusts me. You are a good human, Newt, you are. But I don't want to see you ever again, because you obviously can't understand other peoples feelings. I thought you were my friend, maybe more, but all you ever did was hurt me!", she said, turned away and ran back to the school. She left Newt alone, standing next to the forest, his favorite part of Hogwarts. "But Leta, I... I love you", he whispered. But Leta was too far away to hear him, and they would never be as close as they once had been._

"We're about to arrive in London, master", Krall said. It was one of those days in his life, were Grindelwald remembered why he was doing all of this. He felt the superiority again, he didn't need anything else but it, this pure freedom, just because of his work. He was the only one able to do this, the only one who had the courage and the power to rule the world. Why did he feel like a king, while he was standing in the rain? The smile on his face wasn't washed away by the rain, today, nothing could stop him. "Vinda, Krall, Corvus. I have a special order for you: You have to deal with the wizengamot on your own, while I take care of the minister of magic" "Alright, master" How strange and at the same time superior it made Grindelwald feel, to listen to their stupidity and ignorance. "But, we can't do that on our own", Vinda said. "You'll have to." "We can't, we aren't able to. It is your business, why don't you do the work? We're not your slaves", Corvus said. "Imperio", Grindelwald whispered, and just like puppets on his strings, they all walked away. "And it's: ,We aren't your slaves, sir'", he smiled. As he was standing alone in the ran, he laughed. Change of the plan. And he went back into the carriage. Target: Paris.

Newt hated himself, sometimes. Often. Almost every time when he thought about Leta. He wanted to drown in his self doubts, so the voices in his head would be silent. The greatest magizoologist ever, a humble man and good human, hero. He was none of the things the papers called him. He had never been. There were so many things in life he had wanted to achieve, but he couldn't reach any of his goals. He should have listened to Leta. He should have listened to them all: if he had listened to the opinions of others more than to his own, maybe he would have become a normal human. But he never did. He always believed that his way of seeing the world was right. But maybe it wasn't. He shouldn't have come here, Leta didn't need him and Grindelwald wouldn't arrive here too soon. He shouldn't have taken the blame. The other wizards would never realize how important and beautiful these creatures were, they would never understand him. He had failed everything he ever wanted. And it was all his own fault. He realized too late, that he was laying on the hotel rooms carpet, tears all over his clothing. Why did he have to be such a strange person? Why couldn't he be happy with his life, just like most people were? Why did he have to choose to live the hard way? What if it had been the wrong choice, if he could have been anything, but his heart ruled him too much. He should quit being a magizoologist, he should quit and give the beasts to someone else, maybe Jacob or Queenie. Or Tina. He had left her alone, even though he had known that she would hate him for it. It didn't matter what Professor Dumbledore had told him once, it didn't anymore. He was a bad person, just for leaving the people that mattered to him most for his old crush. Some time later, as the tears slowly dried, he began to hear this voice. It sounded familiar, strange. But it was only his imagination. He only saw darkness, he had closed his eyes and waited for the doubts to go away, while tears ran down his face again.

I suppose this is what they call a breaking point, the voice said. The voice spoke louder, more confident and superior to him than Newts usual thoughts ever did. "Maybe it is", Newt whispered. Congratulations, Newt. You ran after you're first love and left the only person that truly loves you behind. To death or to nothing, it is unclear. "Dumbledore isn't in love with me. To be honest, I heard rumors about him being umm... gay, but you shouldn't believe the gossip, should you?" Newt could've sworn that he had heard the voice laugh about him. It was no real laugh, but a sad laugh, ironically, as if the voice had lost too much and had not enough tears to cry, so the laugh was the only thing that could express his emotions. He wouldn't be in love with someone like you. You don't even know him. Besides, I am not talking about Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. But you wouldn't understand. I am here to tell you, Newt, there is nothing that you could do against me. You are nothing compared to what I am. And here you lie, crying, like a cockroach, small under my shoes. And I will destroy you like this cockroach, if you don't realize that it is better to fight with me instead of fighting against me. I never want anyone to die or to get hurt. But if you aren't willing to believe in a greater world, than you are not worth seeing it. Newt had slowly turned around, and it really was Grindelwald, standing next to him. The next moment, he disapparated and disappeared until the next time Newt would be able to see him. At least the slow realization that he had been right made him feel a bit better. Still, Grindelwald was back and more willing than ever to manipulate the world.

Why did all his nightmares had to come to life? He hated it, hated sitting here, next to the minister of magic in the wizengamot. Everybody around him was talking loud, everybody was excited and awaiting the arrival of their new special guest: Gellert Grindelwald. And even though they had to catch him, their first impulse was still trying to debate with the most evil wizard in history. Gellert Grindelwald was right, they all believed that their own opinion was the truth. The only true government, chosen and elected in democracy, they would be able to handle this little wizard on their own, wouldn't they? But Dumbledore had learned that there was no one better in playing others than Gellert Grindelwald. He heard the applause as Grindelwald came in, no aurors guiding him. Ignorance really made them blind.


	12. Chapter 11 - The greatest Obscurial

**Hope you enjoy and please leave a Review,**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 11**

He tried to look away, tried to ignore the applause, but it didn't work. As if Grindelwald was a magnet, he drew attention from everywhere. He smiled at the members of the gamot, as if they were his audience, he smiled at everyone. Grindelwald really behaved like a born king. But something was wrong. Grindelwald wouldn't greet those he hated most as equals. He was convinced that everybody who didn't believe in his vision, was inferior to him, especially these ministers. Grindelwald slowly walked around, so he could be sure that everyone really had seen him, before he sat down. "Good day, ladies and gentlemen. I am here today, to tell you what really happened, why I am fighting for the right cause." Dumbledore didn't even try to be quiet. He was not willing to let anyone talk about Ariana or him, if Grindelwald really was willing to sacrifice these memories, well, Albus Dumbledore wasn't. "But you are not fighting for the right cause and there is no way to justify the mass murder for a greater good. Even someone as brilliant as you should know that killing children isn't the right way", he interrupted him. Dumbledores brain worked faster than ever. If Grindelwald would understand that he was talking about Ariana, he would have to shut up. "Keep quiet, old man. Someone as stupid and ignorant as you shouldn't have the right to talk to me. Besides, I never murdered a child. Lawyer, please make him stop interrupting me. I don't even know this person, he seems to be a lot older than me and he doesn't know what he is talking about. You can clearly see that he is mad" Albus almost started laughing. This wasn't Gellert Grindelwald, this was Krall, one of his followers. Grindelwald knew his birthday, he had celebrated it with him, then. He would have known that Dumbledore was only two years older than him. "This is Albus Dumbledore, one of the most brilliant wizards of your history, and I believe that he is widely known all around the world. It is believed that he is about as powerful as you are, Mr. Grindelwald. But if you really don't want him here..." Grindelwald would have known his name better than anyone. "I'll leave the court freely for today, so he can calm down. I didn't intend to hurt the accused person", Dumbledore said.

On his way out of the ministry, he thought about his vision, the dream Grindelwald had sent him. Especially his words. I guess, I won't see you personally in a long time. He had changed his plans before, he had known that he wouldn't come to meet the wizengamot. It had all just been a trap, Grindelwald really was on his way to Paris now. And Newt didn't know about it. He quickly sent an owl to Paris. It all began to start again.

"Get up", he heard someone else say. He didn't remember exactly since when he had been lying on this carpet, but he didn't want to get up again. If he really was such a failure, who let Grindelwald escape out of his own hotel room, then he wasn't the only one to do it. "I said: Get up! I didn't break international laws to see you here lying on the carpet, because you are scared of Grindelwald" "Tina?" "No, I am not Leta Lestrange, sorry to disappoint you" The harsh tone in her voice let Newt stand up. She was definitely angry. She had every right in the world to be angry. "I sincerely apologize, Tina" She just looked at him. "Well, good that you have said it" "Umm... Sorry... Are you alright?" "Not really, Newt. It's just a bad time, now that Grindelwald is on his way to Paris. We've all had nightmares of him talking to us and sometimes it isn't all that easy. Anyways we are all glad you are okay. Queenie and Jacob are waiting down the street, in a cafe, Jacob loves these french bakeries" "I never wanted you to be Leta. Leta doesn't care about me and I shouldn't either. I am really sorry."

"Welcome to Circus Arcanus, Ladies and Gentlemen, Monsieurs et Dames. Tonight, you all will be witnessing one of the greatest shows possibly ever seen. Our circus is home to strange creatures, mysterious humans and some that may be both. Anyway, they are all excited to meet you. And now, one of our highlights today: Paris, please welcome: the enchanting snake girl and her companion, the master of darkness!", Skender declared, his voice was magically made louder, just like the voices of the artists.

"I am here", the audience heard someone whisper. The giant circus tent was crowded, but it was dark inside the giant cage, which was used as the stage. Suddenly, everything was bright again. There were no candles, their fires all disappeared after the words of Skender, the circus boss. It seemed to be as if the two artists standing in the middle of the arena eradicated light. A girl with long dark brown hair in a blue dress, which looked like it was made out of snake skin and a boy in a black suit and black hair. They both looked at the audience, insecure, but still with confidence in their eyes. "Now", the boy said, closed his eyes and took the hand of the girl. The enchanting snake girl began to dance strangely in circles, around the so called master of the darkness, who slowly turned around too. First, no one noticed, but slowly, the girls dress began to turn into the skin of a snake. She still danced, round after round. She really looked like a maniac, as her pupils began to become longer and diamond shaped. The girl had now a snake tail and eyes, The audience was silent. No one understood what their eyes were seeing, everybody was curious what would happen next. Some would bet to have heard little girls screaming, as the boy rolled his eyes into the direction of the back of his head and merged with the darkness around him. This was dark magic, it took all warmth out of the air, everyone in the audience was freezing, as this scaring dark force roamed alongside the cage, almost as near that the wizards and witches in front of the cage could touch it. Some were brave enough to clap, but they all became silent, as the snake girl said, with a high, scared voice: "Something's wrong" A man, he would later be recognized as Mr. Yusuf Kama, in first line shouted: "I know this boy!", but no one listened to him. No one was able to say anything, their eyes followed the dark magic in the cage. Sometimes the boy inside could be seen, the next moment it was just the dark dust. The enchanting snake girl still danced around, as if she was possessed by some demon, (which in the opinion of the audience could really be true, because it was a magic circus), her eyes now filled with fear, while she turned back. She was herself again, but the master of darkness wasn't back. "Credence!", she screamed. "Credence, come back" The magic, ready to devour everything around it, which even the most stupid under the audience had realized, slowly stopped. The human formed again, the darkness still followed him. Everybody could see that he was torn. Torn between coming back or giving into the darkness. The master of darkness, Credence, focused. Everything seemed to have stopped, no one could breathe for this second. And he turned back into human, hugged the enchanting snake girl and bowed down for the audience. "We wish you an excellent night, Paris", he said, strangely happy smiling. It had all been a trick, an illusion. Credence had controlled everything, from beginning to end. But the audience was more than impressed by them. This really was one of the most thrilling shows they had ever seen.  
"Thank you all for these beautiful memories, and we will both be more than grateful to see you at our wedding, in a few months. Goodbye", Theseus smiled at Leta and their guests. It had been such a beautiful party, even though Leta still had Newts message in her mind. They all seemed to be more than happy to see them here, together, as if Newt was one of the only people who knew about it. And he still went to crush her engagement party, so she and Theseus wouldn't get hurt. He still was a good human. Most of the guests had already left and Leta told Theseus about Grindelwald. "Newt was here? And GRINDELWALD? It is my job to not let him escape. We'll have to get you away from here and have to return to the auror department. I knew that they wouldn't get anything done without me. Leta, trust me, whatever happens, we will be together.", he whispered. And for the first time, she believed him. "We'll send an owl to the ministry, to get a disapparation permission. After we arrive in London, to be clear", Leta said.  
"Stop!", she heard the voices of her mother and her half brother, "You'll have to stay. If you don't, then you won't find him ever again" Leta had noticed that Yusuf had been missing the party, but no one had been able to tell her, where he went. Now that he was back, Leta could see that something important had happened. "What happened? We won't find whom ever again?", Theseus asked. "Credence. Corvus the fifth. Whatever the name of this boy is. Leta told us that he is her other half brother and that he is an obscurial", Yusuf said to Theseus. Theseus looked like the mess Leta felt right now. Credence was dead. He couldn't be alive, he had been killed. There was no way that he could be alive. "Credence died more than a month ago, maybe more. He... He can't be alive" The tears came without permission, ruined her beautiful black dress and every time she thought it was over, the tears fell down all over again. "Who else do I know, who looks exactly like these pictures and can control darkness? They even called him Credence", Yusuf told them about his visit in the circus. "What is he doing here, in a circus? He will die if they can't cure them. It won't help him to work in a circus, will it?", Theseus asked. "He seemed happy, and I know that sounds weird, but he smiled after the performance as if he really had found a home to return to", Yusuf said. "I will have to meet him. I want to see him again", Leta decided. "Leta... We can't just... We can't just stay here", he was afraid to say too much. He didn't know if it was a good idea to tell Letas relatives that Grindelwald was on his way to destroy them all. "We will find a way", she said. Why did she always had to be stubborn, but she knew that Theseus couldn't argue with her. "I'll return to London today, Leta. You'll please follow me, when you met Credence" We'll be together. Gone was the trust she had felt.

Dumbledore felt haunted. As if the memories tried to crush him more than ever. He was able to fight them, it were only memories, but he still hated it. He hated waking up and being happy that Grindelwald didn't visit him in his dreams but at the same time being sad about it. Albus hated having not to teach anymore. Since Grindelwald was back again, the school decided to give everybody three weeks of vacation, until everything was clear again — or maybe not. Some students stayed at hogwarts, some didn't believe in Gellert Grindelwald attacking England. They were absolutely right. He had thought about traveling to Paris, he wanted to leave today. But somehow, he wanted to stay until lunch. He would miss Hogwarts, but Nicholas Flamel needed him more than these abandoned classrooms. Newts book had just been released — and it turned out that the publisher was more than willing to take help from Dumbledore. The other teachers practiced defensive and aggressive spells, especially dueling, in case of Grindelwald attacking the school. Dumbledore just wandered around the castle and read his more than sixteen copies of Fantastic Beasts and where to find them. He had permission from the headmaster — they would be used in care of magical creatures, when the students returned. Until then, Dumbledore tried to distract himself from thinking too much by looking for misspellings or printing errors in these books. He did so, as he was surprised by a group of aurors, including the ministry of magic official Torquil Travers and Theseus Scamander. "We have information that Newt Scamander has headed to Paris. It is obvious that he is working under your orders. Theseus immediately returned from his vacation, so you better make this worth his time", Travers said. He was an honest and good man, but Dumbledore didn't appreciate his willingness to follow the law blindly. Ignorance made blind. And so Grindelwald was back in his head. "If you'd ever had the pleasure to teach him, you would know that Newt is not a great follower of orders. He is kind and friendly through and through, but he often follows his own loyalties", Dumbledore looked at Theseus, who stared back. Albus knew that Theseus felt the need to say something, but also that the Scamander brother couldn't risk telling anyone that Newt had explicitly traveled to Paris to warn him and Miss Lestrange. "Does that mean that he isn't working for you? Because if that is your belief, then you are wrong. We have witnesses, people that saw you talking to Newt. Animagi are sure that it was him, no one really knew what you talked about, but I am sure it was an interesting topic. Could you tell us more?"


	13. Chapter 12 - a very short family reunion

**Hello everybody. I upload a lot every day, but that is due to the fact that m Story is huge (about 70 K words or more), because I want my Story to be completed before the Crimes of Grindelwwald Comes out (like I said before). I would appreciate it a lot if you read my Story and leave a Review. Take your time to read the Story and don't rush through it because I uploaded four chapters again. I would just be very happy if there are People out there that like the Story and read it, no matter how many views it has or whatever. If you enjoy it, than I am happy, I will continue to upload as much as I can.**

 **I hope you understand that.**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 12**

Grindelwald hated thinking too much. But he couldn't help it. Every time he thought about Credence, Ariana died all over again, as if these five words were carved on his heart. These wounds would never heal. It was his fault and only his faut, no one else was responsible for his pain, for everything he did. Especially not Albus. Albus was right, he always followed the right way. There was nothing that could move him in a wrong direction. Not even he, Gellert Grindelwald, could bring him on his side. Dumbledore had learned out of the Ariana incident, he was good again, while Grindelwald just became darker and more willing to sacrifice everything for his vision. He wanted to be like Albus, he wanted to be such a good man, wise, brilliant, on the right way. Instead, he was a wicked, narcissistic dark wizard. As a villain, he shouldn't think these thoughts. He should be confident, self-loving. The face he had shown the world was just a lie — he didn't love himself as much as he loved someone else. A love that teared him apart, a love that would make him give up even his cause. He had seen it in his visions, his dreams, every time he closed his eyes. Again and again, these scars would never fade. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.

"Who are you?", the snake girl said. At least Leta thought that she was the snake girl, Yusuf had talked about. "I'm his sister", she whispered. "Credence doesn't have a sister. He's adopted", the girl whispered carefully. She seemed to really care about Credence — more than what Letas father had done. "Wait, I'll ask him", and she went and left Leta, here, in the circus. The whole circus tent was busy — everywhere artists that practiced or rested. This place was so chaotic yet so beautiful. She understood why Credence wanted to live here. Everybody was free — truly free. Knowing that she would never be that free, hurt her, so she tried to not think about it, but it didn't work right now. Credence really looked like on these pictures, she remembered him, she remembered too much. He would remember too, there were too many things they had shared — the nights were they were both crying each other to sleep, telling him stories about the wizarding world, trying to protect him from adoption but it didn't work. It hit her the more, as Credence said: "Who are you?" "It's me. Leta — your sister" "I never had a sister, I am adopted and I don't remember you being one of Mary Lous children" Mary Lou Barebone – the women that had abused him. "No. I am Leta Lestrange, your biological half sister" "Leta?", he said, visibly confused. "Leta!", he whispered, before he smiled.

It clearly had nothing in common with waking up. Everybody around him had forgotten, but Jacob still saw everything. It seemed strange, why did he had these weird dreams about magical birds and creatures that were able to find money? One day, he had enough of it. The day Queenie came into his bakery. It couldn't be a coincidence. It couldn't be, why would he dream about a woman who looked exactly like her, a few days ago? If magic wasn't real, she wouldn't be real either. He wouldn't love her as much as he did, if she was just an illusion. He accepted it all, it had to be the truth. Wizards all existed, just like fantastic beasts and dark magicians did. This world was too huge and too beautiful to not be true. He wanted to be a wizard, every time he thought about it. And now, he was kind of part of this great big world — even though he shouldn't be. Queenie told him everything again, she visited him every day, and he listened. Listening to her, she, who always listened to others. He knew that it was good for her to talk about herself and her feelings. Even if no one else wanted to listen, Jacob loved to listen to her.

Dumbledore didn't look around, he didn't try to get attention. He was nothing more than a shadow in an army of shadows. No one would notice him on his way to Paris. He had invented his deluminator in times of darkness, after Ariana had died. It could lead him to his brother, or in some cases, to Grindelwald. And, of course, it could put lights out. Sometimes, he was too scared to use it. Scared of traveling to the wrong places, meeting Grindelwald instead of Aberforth. But there was only one way to heal Credence and so on catching Grindelwald: traveling to Paris. He had heard from his spies about Credence. Grindelwald would use him to his advances, he couldn't just pass the chance of having a powerful dark force in his army. He would do anything to use Credence, just like he would have used Ariana. And if Credence really had found a way to survive, was this one way to immortality. But Albus knew that Grindelwald didn't care about being immortal, still he was somehow sure that he wanted to use the obscurial for something. The Parisians didn't notice him, no one did. As he arrived at Nicholas Flamels house, he knocked on the door, in a special order. Their sign. Nothing happened. "For Merlins' sake, Nicholas, open the door", a womans voice said, behind the door. "Penny, I am busy right now!" Dumbledore could literally feel the woman rolling her eyes, before she opened the door. In front of him stood a woman, who seemed to be his age (which he knew was definitely false), her black hair was streaked by silver strands. She smiled, as if she had to apologize for her husbands manners. "Perenelle Flamel, my name. And you have to be Professor Dumbledore. You know, my husband has been sitting on that desk a couple of hundred years too long. Great to see you, after all these letters, but what is the reason for your visit? Because of that obscurus healing maybe?" Perenelle was as wise as her husband, possibly smarter. "Not only that, my dear. Grindelwald is going to visit Paris, if he hasn't already arrived."

"Hello?", she said into the darkness. The silence didn't answer. Where was she? And what had happened? Leta couldn't remember anything that had happened after Credence had remembered her. "Who are you? Where am I?", she tried to convince herself that everything was okay. There was no reason for her voice to crack or her heart to beat faster. It was only darkness, and she had darkness known darkness for a long time There would be a way to get out of here. There always was. "You may know me, you may not. I am here and nothing's going to happen to you. We'll just wait for Credence here. He knows me and I believe he is going to be delighted to see me again", a voice said. Leta couldn't detect the location from where it came, she couldn't do anything against anything.. She knew that a spell held her on her place, there was no way to escape, and she didn't even have her wand next to her. She hated herself for it, she shouldn't think like that, she shouldn't use him that way, but she didn't want Theseus to come, nor any other aurors. Leta deeply wished for Newt to save her.

He was lying. He was always lying. Grindelwald didn't wait for Credence. He waited for Newt Scamander to come. Because when Newt was captured somewhere, Albus would rescue him. Dumbledore would clearly save his student from the darkest wizard of all time. And even if not, Newt Scamander still wanted to catch him, defeat him. He couldn't, he never would. Grindelwald couldn't help but want to convince Newt that he had no chance against him. He understood Newt more than he wanted too. But still, he was in his way and everybody who was in his way had to be either on his side or pushed out of the way. He didn't like waiting there, here in the cold, under Paris. Grindelwald hated nothing more than the darkness. The darkness that had taken Ariana, the darkness that had stolen him Dumbledore. The darkness that had failed to help him save everything he ever wanted. There was no way to use dark magic for his advantage, he knew that. He had tried too often, he had lost too much. Every death was a sacrifice for his experiments. He remembered that Leta had made experiments too and that Newt had taken the blame for her. Newt would rather die than let his friends die. What an honorable human. It hit him out of nothing. He wasn't prepared for this, he wasn't prepared for it. He could control it, normally he always could. But the visions didn't ask him, the visions just crashed into his head and flooded his brain. Grindelwald hated being a false seer. He was a liar, but that shouldn't mean that his visions had to be liars too. He was never sure, if some things he saw would really happen. And that was probably the worst. The voices in his head blended into his memories, and he couldn't decide which was real and what was not. I knew you would come. He saw himself, he seemed so old, almost dead, devoured by regret and pain. He was weakened, but he was still strong, strong enough to lie. The pictures in his head and in front of him changed — he saw Albus, older, but still the same. He didn't want to hear the words again, he hated this parts of this vision. A part which he was sure to be real. Gellert couldn't shut it out, he couldn't deny it. Avada Kedavra. Back to himself, an ugly man with pale, almost white skin and red snake a like eyes stared at him. You are lying!  
Kill me then, Voldemort! You will not win, you cannot win! The wand will never, ever be yours. He tried not to listen, he tried not to understand the words he was saying, until this moment. It was something new, something he had never heard before. Something new in this endless nightmare. And he realized that he would never change, that some things would never change. Maybe him and Newt really were a like. He would rather die than let someone do harm to Albus Dumbledore. There is so much you don't understand.

Nicholas Flamel worked every day, every hour, every second of his life. Others congratulated him, he had invented the phiolosphers stone. But that wasn't enough for Flamel. He hated seeing the world this broken, the hate and the deaths of other people. He wanted to help them all, but it didn't work. Flamel had the hope that all his problems could be solved through working hard. They never did. He hadn't seen his wife for a hundred years, but he didn't care. He had to help them and if he finished, he would stand up from his desk. Nicholas only read his letters, he didn't communicate with others anymore. He was born for working, for this magic only made for him. They called him a workaholic, but he didn't care about them. None of them had seen so much, too much, and a while ago (about 200 years), the last time he had slept in his real bed, he had thought about not using the stone anymore. He didn't want to see his friends die, he didn't want to see wars and diseases and lives of people failing. He wasn't ready for all the pain. Flamel knew that there were muggles in this world, born to see the pain. Nicholas never possessed the ability to see into peoples life, but over the years, others were just like books to him. But nobody wanted to see their favorite books burn on a pyre. There had to be a way to help them. He had been tired for too long, but his ambition, his target to only stand up when he was finished, was stronger than being tired. He had to save humanity, no one else was able to help them as much as he could. Flamel probably would have sat there for the next hundred years, if Dumbledore didn't arrive. Albus Dumbledore was a strong personality. You could only love or hate him, there was nothing in between. He was brilliant, without any doubt. Dumbledore had the ability to force people to do the things he wanted them to. But not in a bad way. "Nicholas, good to see you, finally! You should stand up and greet your old friend. I have to tell you so much new things", he said. Flamel didn't hesitate, as he stood up. Oh, did walking really feel like this? Dumbledore did things others couldn't. And Nicholas Flamel was thankful to have him as a good friend.


	14. Chapter 13 - A love to change the world

**Thanks for reading, hope you like it and enjoy!**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 13**

"What exactly happened?", Tina asked. The usual concentration came back, everything was the normal worst-case-scenario. "I don't know. The only thing Dumbledore was willing to tell Newt was that Grindelwalds plan was getting to Paris. I don't know why and I don't know why Leta is now gone" "Okay, what do we know so far? Why would anyone travel to Paris? Is there anyone famous or useful for Grindelwald? Yes, Nicholas Flamel. Inventor of the philosopherer's stone. Why would he need it? I don't think he needs it. He doesn't need immortality. We can think about Flamel later. Where was Leta, when she was kidnapped?", Tina focused. Queenie, Jacob and her were walking through the streets. Silence, Jacob looked around, amazed by the magic as always and Queenie searched for a solution for their problems. "Newt was gone, he left in the middle of the night. The only thing in his brain was saving Leta, like every time, you felt that, right, Queenie. Fortunately, I was able to talk to Letas mother. She is convinced that Leta wanted to visit a circus before leaving. Se didn't want to say more. So why would Leta rather visit a circus than saving herself? Because it was important to her. So many things we don't know anything about. But what we know for a fact is that Leta was kidnapped by Grindelwald. And why? So Newt would come and Grindelwald could catch him too. The only one that can defeat him, Dumbledore said. Without him, it will be quite difficult to fight against Grindelwald. The first thing to do will be searching for Newt...", Tina thought again. Where should they look first? "We'll go to the circus. It is where everything began", Queenie decided. And after her words, they went to the Circus. They were a strange trio, but convinced to do everything to save Newt. Even the impossible.

She was gone. Leta went and took everything around him. He didn't need her anymore, he didn't need any of them. Except Malena. He was cowering in his own tent, his hands on his ears and his eyes closed. He couldn't feel anything but Malenas hand in his hand. The only one who had been there for him. Everybody else had left him, everybody who he had thought to be true. But he didn't need them. He didn't need any of them to live his life. Before being an obscurial, he was himself, Credence. They all thought that he was their slave, didn't they? The ministry, Grindelwald and the people that stared at him in the circus. But he wasn't. He didn't need them to tell that he had to control the obscurus. He could control it without their help, he could control it because he was Credence. As if the whole torture and everything else he went through, was just a way to work for his true nature. Grindelwald had chosen himself, Newt had been chosen and Dumbledore had been forced by his heart to do something. They all thought they were the heroes of their own story, and they all were in their own kind. Credence didn't deserve any of the cruel things he went through, he never wanted to be an obscurial. But it was his faith and tried to control it, tried to change the bad into good, the light into darkness. He never wanted this life, he had never chosen anything nor was he chosen for anything. Credence disease was born by his willingness to survive, to suppress his magic. And was that choosing? He chose to give up his magic, because he didn't want to feel the pain. Was there even a decision when you were forced to do something? But this time he had the opportunity to choose. And he chose to save Leta. He didn't realize how quick the obscurus reacted. A second later, only Malena and Credence stood outside. Credence tent was lying destroyed on the side. It felt so good to let go and follow the right way.

She slowly realized that she did not care anymore. The tears on her face were dry now and Leta was sure that she had calmed down a bit. She was constantly thinking. She was either really calm or mad. Maybe she was just hallucinating, she should be screaming right now. She had lost her voice hours ago, and she couldn't do anything against it. How come that she didn't care? Leta was lost, somewhere in the darkness and Grindelwald probably stood next to her. Her eyes didn't get used to the dark, and she couldn't imagine where she was. At least she had not been tortured. It was a strange state of nothing. How could she feel nothing? Shouldn't she be terrified? But she wasn't and that scared her more than Grindelwald could. Maybe her voice had retired a bit. She should be able to whisper, if she wasn't. She had lost her hope. Newt wouldn't come nor would anyone else. She would have to stay here in this emptiness forever. "Newt isn't going to come", she whispered. A second later, a wand lightened up her prison. She almost screamed, as she saw the water, a few feet away from her. They were in the catacombs of Paris. And she exactly knew the drawing on the wall behind her. "Why are we sitting next to my family tree? Please don't sacrifice me to the crocodiles so my fathers sins will be forgotten", she whispered, still. "I don't want to sacrifice you. At least for now", Grindelwald smiled sarcastically. "I am sorry, it was a joke. I have sacrificed too much to sacrifice you", he said. Leta wasn't sure, but she heard regret in his voice. Why did she have to believe him? "I understand you too good, Leta. You believe you are egoistic, that everybody else is sacrificing everything for you and that you don't deserve any of it. I do too. Every day of my life, I rethink all my decisions and regret what I've done. Sometimes... Sometimes I believe that I would be so much happier when I would have lived my life differently. That I, from all of these people around me, I don't have the right to tell them the truth. I have seen some things in my visions. Some might be true, other aren't. And even if I fail, I will have failed, after I told them truth, after they have seen that their way of living the world is wrong. You know what, sometimes the target isn't important. It isn't important getting everything you want, but what you do to achieve it and that you believe in the things you do", he stopped for a minute and looked at her. Leta listened to him. She saw herself in his words. She doubted her decision to marry Theseus, and she doubted doubting him even more. After a moment of silence, he began to speak again. "And I believe that our world can only be a better place if people aren't forced to suppress their magic because of the ignorance of others. I don't want to change everything. I never wanted to kill half of the population, so I can rule. It isn't about me, it is about seeing that they did something wrong and that they have to change their way of ruling. It was never about me. I am not a hero, I can't save them. But I can change things. I may have made mistakes. I may be alone in believing in my cause. If I die one day, if I fail, if everything I try to achieve is never going to happen, even then: they will realize that I did it for a greater cause. Maybe I dream too much, and I am too willing to believe in fairy tales. And maybe I sound like these cheesy books. But I truly believe in two things. If you never stop believing, you will be able to get what you want. And that love can be great and mad enough to change the world", he kept quiet after his last words, as if he was listening to memories in his head. And Leta strangely trusted him. He had told her so much about himself. Leta would never tell anyone that much about herself, explicitly no stranger. A moment later, Grindelwald was smiling just like before. "You know what, I am not going to hold you here. You can go if you want to, I am not going to force you to do anything", with only one move of his hand, the ropes around her body were loosened. A love great enough to change the world.

"Everything's okay. I'm here now, I'm here, Leta", he said. Newt had searched all of Paris, and he had been about to write a letter to either Theseus or Dumbledore, as he found Leta in the catacombs down under Paris. He didn't know how long she had stayed there, her skin was too cool, maybe she was ill. Leta did not say anything, she didn't have enough voice to talk. He couldn't do anything but hug her. None of his beasts could help her right now, and he wasn't good with healing spells. But she seemed to understand him, as she smiled back at him.

Leta hadn't thought a lot about her decisions. Why did it feel so right? How could something so wrong feel so right? She should not believe Grindelwald. But he was right, everything he said was the way how she felt and what she didn't want to say, he said. It felt like betrayal, it felt like heartbreak, sitting here, silent and letting Newt believe that she was the same person she had been on the wedding. But she wasn't. She couldn't do anything against it. And then Leta realized that she had to do something. "You know, Newt. I have to tell you something" "Er.. Go on", he said. She couldn't keep secrets good, and she knew that the stress would be worse, there would be a point where she couldn't stand the pressure of it anymore. This point was now.

She told him everything. About her family, Credence being alive, Grindelwalds words and that she was truly sorry for everything she had done to Newt. And she told him how she fell in love with Theseus.

She couldn't remember the time after Newt had left clearly. She had finished hogwarts and as she finished, she tried to get a job in the ministry, something with creatures or muggle rights. Something where she didn't have to think about her father who had no problem with sending his own son away because he was a squib. And as she tried to get that job, she met Theseus. He didn't seem like other aurors, he was nice to her and didn't judge her because of her family. She had known him before, she had celebrated every Christmas in her school years with Newts family. And they had liked each other, because she was his brothers best friend. As she met him this time, he had realized that he had feelings for her.It had been a hard day for Leta, she had been bossed around by almost everybody at the ministry, and she was so tired of it. Why did they all have to think that Leta was not as good as them just because she didn't work there or because she was younger or a woman? Why were they all against her? She had been told that she had to talk to the head of the auror department, because nobody else had the nerves nor the time to talk to an applicant like her. And so she walked into Theseus office, convinced to meet another arrogant ministry official. But instead Theseus was there. "Nice to meet you, Leta. How's life going?", he said. "It's okay. I haven't seen you in a long time" After talking about work, Theseus asked her out. And she said yes.

"Credence...", he tried to calm him down. "Credence, I don't want to harm you. I never wanted you to suffer, no one deserves to go through what you had to go through", Grindelwald whispered. But Credence didn't believe him anymore. He knew that he was lying to him, that he was trying to manipulate him into his cause. Credence had learned to never trust him again but still he remembered everything Grindelwald had ever done to him. It had been as much good as bad, still he wasn't a good human. Some things couldn't be forgiven and manipulating someone was one of these things to Credence. Even though he had just used the true powers of his obscurus again and that was why Grindelwald was here now, he had no right to use him. He was his own person, not Grindelwalds puppet. "I don't need you anymore. I don't want to be on your side. I only want to be cured", after he said that sentence, he quickly regretted it. Grindelwald shouldn't know his dreams nor his fears. But suddenly, Malena interrupted him. "And you can't help him with anything. Every time you show up, you destroy things. It's your nature, you can't do anything against it and it's secretly devouring you that everybody else except you has these powers and every time you try to help, you destroy. You want to help, you believe in your cause and in some things you are right. Totally right. But some things aren't meant to be. You weren't chosen and that is what tears you apart the most. Except loving someone who should be your enemy", she said. She didn't shout nor did she speak really loud, but her voice seemed to fill every room around her. Slowly, Credence understood what it really meant to be a maledictus. She was a snake, she didn't even have to transform, to be. He knew the tropes: the silver tongue of a snake, cunning as a snake. And he had a strange respect of her, now, because she could fight against Grindelwald, not with weapons but with words. "You are right. I never wanted any of this. But I promise, I will help to find a cure for Credence, I always wanted to. If you give me something in return: help me convince the people that my cause is the right way. And...", he became silent. "Whatever you want to do, Grindelwald, you can't do it. It is the wrong way. There is always bad in the world and if you try to cure it, you just make it worse." "Sometimes it has to get worse first, so it can get better", he said.


	15. Chapter 14 - How to train your dragon

**Hello everybody, hope you enjoy the story.**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 14**

Tina didn't know how much she had slept in the last days, she didn't even want to know. She hated worrying more than anything else. More than having nothing to do. She had searched through Paris with Queenie and Jacob, nobody knew anything about Leta or Newt, and she hated knowing nothing. Tina had talked to all her contacts, and she was too exhausted to look for Newt any longer. But she hated giving up. She had to find him, even if she was too tired. Tina couldn't give up, she had given up too often. Nobody in the circus had seen Leta nor Newt in the last 24 hours, and they said that some of their people were missing. Most of the artists really tried to help them find Leta and Newt, but nothing really worked. "So you are looking for whom?", the circus boss, Skender said. "Leta Lestrange, tall, long brown hair, elegant and really beautiful", Queenie said. Considering that they all had seen Leta once, on Newts picture, they were pretty proud of their description. "And the other one?" "Newt Scamander. He always wears a dark blue coat and has really messed up hair. He always carries a suitcase", Tina said. She didn't believe that this would work, but the circus boss slowly nodded. " Dark blue coat, suit case. He was here, hours ago. He asked if we had seen this Leta woman. The last time we saw here, was with Credence, but she suddenly disapparated. Credence believes that she had been kidnapped by Grindelwald, but we don't really know in which direction they went" Tinas heart stopped for a second. Credence was dead. She had seen his death, he couldn't be alive. But they were probably talking about another Credence. This couldn't be. No one survived a killing curse and it was more than impossible to survive more than ten. "Did you say Credence?", Jacob asked. He was the only one of them who could think right now. Queenie and Tina were to busy thinking about Skenders words to say something. "He'll be there in a minute", Skender said and went into the direction of about ten little tents. He came back, a black haired boy in a new suit at his side, next to the girl, Tina had seen on posters before. She was the enchanting snake girl. "Credence, do you know them? They were looking for Leta", Skender informed him. Tina couldn't speak anymore. She would never forget his face, full of pain and it reminded her of the obscurus inside him. "Tina?", he asked, as he went towards her. "Grindelwald kidnapped Leta. Mal was about to distract him, as he found Leta and disapparated with her. We couldn't do anything against it and an hour later came Newt, who said that he had heard Leta screaming. We couldn't help him either and now you are here", he said. "Credence. It's good to see you. But how did you survive? We all thought you were dead. And why are you here?", Jacob spoke out their thoughts. "It has something to do with the obscurus. Newt remembered something about it. I woke up one day and was back again. I just want to be cured, Tina. Mal saved me and brought me to the circus. This is why I am here, the circus help me to control it... until... Until Nicholas Flamel comes out of his house or I die.", he told them. The girl next to him had been silent, but began to speak now. She was wearing a dress, which looked as if it was made out of blue-green snake skin. "I'm Malena. And we will try to help you, if we can. Newt seems to know more about the obscurus than we do, so it is also helpful for us to save him" Tina finally found the voice to speak again. She could slowly process it, Credence had found a way to survive and if he could do the impossible than they would also find a way to rescue Newt and Leta. "Do you have any idea how we can search the city fast after a missing person? Is there any way? You know the city better than we do", Tina began to make a plan. "We'll, I don't know, but wouldn't it be smart if we use the dragons over there?", Jacob pointed at two red Hungarian horntails, which Tina hadn't noticed before. They were as majestic and beautiful as Newts creatures, they didn't look as if they were the slaves of humans, as if they would listen to the stupid talk of humans. These dragons were born to rule their own kingdom. Their red skin seemed to be made out of the fire in their veins and their eyes had similarities with the sun. Tina was quite impressed, but she knew that creatures didn't deserve to be judged by their fierce looks. One of these things she had learned from Newt. The only real reason why these dragons were owned by circus Arcanus was that they each had two heads, which made them look even deadlier in Tinas eyes. "Are you sure that we can ride them?" "Oh. They have not seen the city from above in a long time. I believe that they would be happy to fly a bit", Queenie said. "I don't think it's a problem. Or is it, Skender?", Jacob asked Skender. "No, it's not. They were fed shortly before you arrived, so food won't be a problem. I hope you all know how to fly a dragon. Let's start!", Skender smiled as big as a child that had gotten a new present. Tina understood why he was the boss of this circus.

It wasn't as easy to climb on the dragon as they had thought. Tina tried it a few times but always failed, until she finally did it. She had always wanted to fly, since she had been a little girl. It wasn't as comfortable as she thought it would be, but she still felt the magic of flying. Brooms were nothing compared to this. Queenie and Jacob sat behind her, and she could almost hear Jacobs happiness. Next to her, she could see Credence spreading his arms as if they were wings. This was probably the first time in his life, where he truly felt free.

"Master", she said, "Master, we followed all your instructions" Grindelwald smiled at her. "Welcome home, Vinda. How did the wizengamot react to my plan?" Vinda began to tell him the things he didn't want to hear. They didn't want to listen, only half of them really showed belief in his words. At least they were not impolite enough to imprison them. Brits were all slaves to their manners, he thought. "Did anything interesting happen? For example did anyone interrupt you or the minister?", he looked into the round of his dearest followers. "Not really, or did anyone?", Krall asked Vinda. "This Dumbledore guy. He left the court after doing so, but maybe it's important" "He left the ministry?! What did he say and what did you? Tell me everything" And they did. Corvus Lestrange was impatiently walking around, ready to tell the story what he had done in the last days. "You called Albus Dumbledore ignorant and stupid?! No wonder that he stood up and left" "I had to defend you, sir. He said that you killed children to get to your goals, which is straight up a lie" Grindelwald didn't look at Krall, while he was talking. He tried to avoid looking into the eyes of his servants, even though he couldn't see the lies in his face. They were the only people that really understood him, especially these three. They all had lost so much that the only way bringing it back was building it new. "I didn't know him, I said, and that he had no right to talk to me like that because I would never murder innocent children" He understood, Dumbledore had realized that Gellert Grindelwald would never deny knowing Albus. And even if he had not known that, he would have known that Grindelwald didn't forget Arianas death. But Krall didn't react the way he should have reacted, if he had known everything that he knew. "Master, I successfully jinxed the ministers, so none of them could find out. It didn't really work with Dumbledore, I am truly sorry to tell you" "At least you all tried. You will have to work better next time. But this is why I chose you, to be my companions. Each one of you is here for a reason" Sometimes he forgot that manipulating people was more telling them the things they wanted to here than lying to them. They all were in their own pink bubble, they all depended on him, and they didn't realize that Grindelwald could stop being nice to them any minute. But people could be controlled easier with kindness, with sugar than with salt and punishment, as long as they did what he wanted them to do.

Forever was a short word. Forever and never again. Lies, everywhere lies. Dumbledore didn't meet Grindelwald personally, in a long time. But personally couldn't hide that everything around him remembered Dumbledore of Grindelwald. Personally wasn't that Dumbledore used the deluminator to find out where Grindelwald had been, before he disapparated. No, they didn't really meet, but it felt like a strange game of hide-and-seek.

Newt didn't know how he felt about Leta. He had loved her for too long, and he couldn't see himself without all the memories of them together, but he knew that Leta was hiding something. Sure, she had been kidnapped by Grindelwald, and she had lost her voice, but that didn't explain why she was free, why Grindelwald let her go. Newt had expected at least a fight, but Grindelwald had disappeared as Newt showed up. He had been so sure that it would be a trap but the result confused him even more. What would it help Gellert Grindelwald to let her go? And Leta wasn't ready to tell him, the time when she had trusted him was over, and he wasn't sure if she would tell anyone else. But strangely, he didn't feel something. He should be angry, disappointed, confused, because Grindelwald had just not been there. He should be happy that Tina, Queenie and Jacob had found him and Leta because he had been too tired to do anything, because he had cast too much magic to even find Leta. But he felt nothing — just this strange emptiness, as if something had been taken out of his life, but he couldn't understand what it was. It had nothing to do with Tina, Queenie or Jacob, not with his creatures and not with Grindelwald.

"Newt", Credence said. "I wanted to ask you, you know more about the", he pointed at himself and then whispered: "The Obscurus. Is there a way to cure it or to long term control it? Is there a chance of me surviving all of this?" He seemed so lost here, this which was partly his and partly not his world. Credence was the same sixteen-year old boy that Newt had met before, but he seemed stronger now. The insecurity in his voice made Newt remember that Credence was carrying this destructive force inside him. "Umm... Credence, whatever happens, I will help you. I told you that I have met an Obscurial before. She died, but I could divorce the obscurus from her. A friend of mine, Albus Dumbledore, knows a lot more than I do. And we could — umm — ask Nicholas Flamel for help." "Nicholas Flamel? I thought he was ill... He hasn't shown up in Paris for years. And you would do this for me, really?" Newt asked himself if Credence was indeed half puppy and not carrying an obscurus, because he was looking at him with dog eyes. "Of course", Newt said, and he was definitely meaning it.


	16. Chapter 15 - Leta wants to be free

**Hello everybody, hope you enjoy!**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 15**

Other people would have told him that there were absolutely worse things than words. He should worry about war, about people dying and others being tortured, instead he constantly had to think about words. Nobody understood that words were the only thing that could show what happened between him and Grindelwald. Manipulation didn't necessarily mean lying, but there was only a small barrier between both. Wounds could heal, but words could stick in his head forever, only to come into his thoughts, when he didn't need them. All these promises, all these dreams of what things could be, that would never happen. He had thought about putting his memories into the pensive too often, but he knew that he couldn't. Thinking about it hurt him, but losing it all would break his heart, as if if there was something left that wasn't already. Dumbledore knew that he could learn out of his past, that knowing Grindelwald would help him fight against him. But it didn't always help. There was always a moment, a second, a minute, sometimes even hours of every day when Albus Dumbledore couldn't help but think that he would never win this endless fight, where he was lost in the bad sides of everything that had happened, that he wasn't made for this. He knew that he had no chance of winning against him now, there would be a time when he was ready and before that time had come, he would need others, others that were capable, to help him. And often, when he was about to drown in his own thoughts, he remembered meeting Gellert Grindelwald for the first time. The highs and the lows, and it all came together in a huge mix of the magic Dumbledore felt. As if he would carry a giant rainbow in his heart, the rain and the sun together, a mix of the bad and the good memories. And it made him feel better, walking around with this rainbow.

 _"You and me. Against the rest of the world", he said. There was no one else except them, no one important enough to be there, no one who could halfway understand what connected them. No one would believe Albus, but Grindelwald and him were almost the same. He had never understood anyone as much as he understood him and at the same time never argued so much with someone. But when he argued with Grindelwald, it didn't feel as if they were arguing. It was more of a discussion of their both opinions, a new form of communication. There was no one in this world like Gellert Grindelwald for Albus. No one would believe him if he told anyone, but it felt as if they had the same soul. Being with Grindelwald was like a wild fire — it was the best thing in his life, loving Gellert was moving the world. Their love really felt as if it was a fire — too bright to be stopped by anyone except themselves. As if suddenly, the world had changed and now the only thing that counted, was them and only them. Everything was possible, if they were together. The world was turning around them, not with or without them. And over everything stood the belief that they could change anything, that they would create a better world, because their love was the only thing they needed, as the kings of the universe. Albus couldn't count the amount of times, were they both couldn't sleep, and sent each other letters. "You know, your idea is right. We just have to find a way, to peacefully make them understand the right in our words" "We have to find a way, so wizards and muggles accept each other, even though muggles aren't our equals, we should treat them politely as if they were. And the most important thing is that no wizarding children should suppress their magic" "You are absolutely right" "This is why I love you so much. You understand that I'm right", Gellert whispered. So many days, just them, their books and their crazy theories and it was better and brighter than everything they ever had experienced. The thing that was important to them the most was the other person. And just like they thought, that the universe would spin around them, they were the center of the universe for each other._

"Do you really think this is a good idea, Newt?", Tina asked. She was still skeptical about how Leta Lestrange escaped, but she didn't want to ruin the short peace between her and Newt. "We'll have to try. I'll send a letter to Dumbledore, he'll help us. You know if we never try, we will never get the chance to help Credence" She nodded, he was totally right, but she didn't think that it would work. No one had seen Flamel in years and the chance of him healing total strangers just because one was an obscurial seemed not very high. They walked through the whole city, Newt stopped at every corner, because it reminded him "of his youth". Picket almost escaped, because Newt was so deep in thought. "What does Paris have to do with your youth? Do all wizards travel as much as he does?", Jacob asked. He was the only one except Newt who could speak french, he had learned it in muggle school. That was no problem for Queenie, because she could read all minds and it didn't matter which language it was because she understood them without words. But Tina was quite annoyed by having to cast a spell before understanding others. "Oh, umm, I often came here in my school years. And, no, I don't think all wizards travel that often. What's do you think about that, Tina?" But Tina didn't listen to him. In her thoughts, she was somewhere else. She remembered too much of her youth. The day, her mother died and the day her father died too. She and Queenie, sitting on the stairs of their old apartment, crying, before they were told to leave it, because it was no longer belonging to them. Her first day in Illvermorny. Illvermorny was such a beautiful place, it had made her life special, it had made her become the human, she was now.

"This is the right road" "It can't be" "Why not?" She didn't want to say it, but the street looked too empty, too dark for one of the greatest wizards of all time to live here. She realized why it was so dark. All lights had been put out, the lanterns were dark. Jacob was the first one, to step to the giant door with the golden lion carved into it. "What are you doing? It could be a trap" "Everything could be a trap. He's just knocking, nothing more", Queenie said. And really, Jacob slowly knocked on the door. "And did it help us anything? No it didn't", Tina murmured. "Stay quiet", Newt told her. Nothing happened. They all, this strange group of people, stood in front of the door and waited for someone to come out. Tina, Queenie, Jacob, Newt, Credence and Malena. Leta Lestrange said that she wanted to travel back to London, to see Theseus again. And honestly, Tina felt better without a Leta Lestrange next to her, who destroyed every plan she had ever made. She was about to give up. They wouldn't be able to cure Credence, Nicholas Flamel wouldn't come out. She looked at him, he held Malenas hand, so insecure, almost as if he wanted to be invisible. Every time she saw him, she thought about how lonely he had been. Credence seemed a lot stronger, just because Malena stood next to him. As if she would give him the strength he needed, there was no one who could divorce them. They both seemed so lost in this strange big world, but together they were strong."Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. What are you doing here, on this cold evening?", a tall man in a long blue coat said. He had auburn hair and a bear in the same colour. He seemed strangely familiar to Tina. "Are you Mr. Flamel?", Credence asked. Tina saw the hope in his eyes. The men smiled, and as he smiled, his light blue eyes smiled with him. "No, he's Albus Dumbledore"

"It's good to see you, Newt. I wanted to talk to you about Grindelwald and it's good that you brought Mr. Credence and your friends. We all have to talk about what happened in the last few days. Some things are new for me and for you, some may surprise you, but all together, we'll have to have a strategy against Grindelwald, it can't stay as it is right now. May I introduce to you, Mr. Nicholas Flamel and his wife, Mrs. Perenelle Flamel!" A woman with long black hair and a charming smile guided them into the Flamels living room. There, on a couch, next to a table with tea on the desk, sat a handsome man (almost as pretty as his wife, even though they were supposed to be hundreds of years old), and Tina thought that she could see the wisdom in his eyes. Maybe she really could, but she was sure to imagine that he looked as if he was just a bit older than her. But he didn't look at her, the only person who deserved to be seen by this person was Newt. Wasn't he? At least Tina thought that he had sacrificed enough to be noticed. Instead, Nicholas Flamel only saw Credence and Malena at his side. He spread his arms and smiled. "Come here, children. I am here to help you against the pain and against your dark fate" Slowly, Credence walked into his direction and Nicholas Flamel really hugged him, and after Credence had been hugged, he hugged Malena, as if he could destroy their disease just with a few hugs. But Tina shared the opinion that they both needed hugs more than anything.

There was nothing worse than believing one thing and finding out, after years, that everything had been different out of the eyes of the other person. Dumbledore thought, that everything he had said, only was manipulation. But for Grindelwald Manipulation didn't necessarily mean lying, just saying what others wanted to hear to make them do what they should do. it didn't mean that the things said were lies, just that there had been a purpose, why the person said these words, it wasn't just because of love or friendship, even if it was true, but in the purpose of getting someone to do something. It didn't mean that their relationship was build on lies, was it? At least he thought that. But his opinion didn't really count much for the brightest wizard of the century, Albus Dumbledore. Grindelwald hated his decision sometimes, but he had decided, and he knew that he had to fight until the end, it was in his nature. And, even though he had never confessed this, he wasn't able to tell it to himself, only in silence he could feel what he really thought. Everything he said was true and it hurt him, to keep this secret, but he would never be able to tell it. At least he had thought that he never would.

"It's your decision, Leta" "You don't have to do this" "Why did you do this to me" "You betrayed me, from all people, you had to betray me" "It is the only way you have" And it really was. She wanted to be free, free above all. Instead, she was stuck in a marriage, everybody wanted her to do the things they wanted. No one asked her opinion. And to really be free, she had to make her own conditions. To make her own conditions, she had to tear everything apart. "It will be a new beginning", he smiled at her. And she now knew why so many people followed him. She would be happy, finally. And all the tears would be washed away by years of true happiness. But wasn't she happy with her life now? She was engaged to Theseus, and he loved her more than anything. And she loved him. Why did she have t be this way? Why couldn't she accept her life as it was, why did she have to make every one around her sad with her decisions? But it was her life, she shouldn't live it for others, should she? One word and her brain went back to reality. She didn't know why she was here, next to all these people that wanted to be part of Grindelwalds army. They all listened to Grindelwalds words, as if he was the only one who could lead them to their new world. Leta didn't even realize how fast she came here. She had told Newt that she would travel back to London, while she told Theseus that she wanted to stay with Credence for a few days longer. "I will ask everyone of you and you will make your final decision", Grindelwald said. It felt like eternity, while her thoughts tried to attack her. If you do this, you won't come out of it alive. You will never be as happy as you could have been. Do not do it. You know what he did to Credence. You know that he would have killed you, if you weren't useful for him. Grindelwald doesn't care about you. He doesn't care about anybody. But the voices of her friends in her head blended into Grindelwalds. I thought that I would have been happier if I had decided differently. "Leta Lestrange, will you follow me and swear, with your life, to help me build or new world? For the greater good. It is your decision and only yours. I won't try to hold you back, if any of you want to leave. Just know, if you do, you will think about what could have happened for the rest of your lives", he said. And then Leta remembered why she had fought with her father. Because he wanted to join Grindelwalds ranks, while she wanted to marry an auror, responsible for the hunt of Grindelwald. She would not be better than him, if she would say yes now. She would be the same as the person that left her half brother to an evil magic-hating woman. Leta did not fight to be free, she did not try to be different from the rest of her family for so long, to join Grindelwald now. Leta didn't feel her own lips saying no, it felt as if someone else was saying these words. Leta quietly stood up and left, she left Grindelwald behind. She wouldn't look back and with Grindelwald, she left behind all the what-ifs and the person she could have been. And as she had left the hiding place, she had lost the doubts and the voices of her ancestors. She wasn't a Lestrange, she was her own person. Leta realized that it had not been her desire for freedom that had forced her to do this. It had been everything her father stood for, the obsession over pureblood superiority. Her family didn't rule her nor did Gellert Grindelwald.


	17. Chapter 16 - an unlikely friendship

**Hey everybody! Thanks for reading, I would appreciate Reviews and Feedback.**

 **Hope you enjoy,**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 16**

"It's good to see you all. I knew you would come, I knew some of you would understand what we together can do, if one alone can move so much", Grindelwald began to speak. Tina was still surprised that from all places in Paris, Leta wanted to come to one of Grindelwalds meetings.

Tina did not trust Leta Lestrange. Newt loved her more than anyone and because of that, he didn't notice all the strange things did. She did not believe her, as she said that she would return to London. Tina asked Newt to tell her everything that Dumbledore would say and left, after the whole hugging the cursed teenagers' ceremony had been ended.

Tina was afraid and surprised, as she found Leta in an old quarter of the city. There weren't many people living here, it was all quiet and abandoned. A ghost town, like she always imagined.  
She carefully followed Leta, on her way somewhere.  
And now she had arrived here, surrounded by humans who no one wanted to listen to except Grindelwald. He listened to all, because no one had listened to him before. There was no one Tina hated more than him. He manipulated the hopes and fears of this crowd, of every one of his followers and bent them to his will, all under the name of the greater good. But it wasn't good in Tinas world to use people for your own sake. She knew that she was not as a good human as Newt or Jacob or her sister, but she still didn't understand what on earth had brought Leta Lestrange here. Sure, she didn't like here, but no one deserved to be manipulated. Not even her, her who she had done too much to hurt Newt to ever be liked by Tina. And still, she did not deserve this. Grindelwald slowly went through the lines of his followers. She looked down, tried to hide under her large black coat. Of course, he saw her. He became slower and stopped when he stood next to her. Sometimes, Tina asked herself how someone could speak so quietly but still be one of the greatest and most evil wizards in history. "It's good to see you too, Tina", he whispered. It was nothing more than a quiet whisper and no one else except her could hear it, but still how he said her name, made the alarm bells in her head ring. She was over this. She couldn't be controlled by this man, Grindelwald had no right to say anything to her. Tina was her own person, she was better than she could ever be with him. Tina had better friends, she had her sister, she had Jacob. And she had Newt. Tina would never be lonely enough to come back to him, at least she tried to persuade herself to believe that. But Grindelwalds way of saying things made her think about every time she cried and there had just been him, who had been there for her. You didn't know, for you he was Graves. That was no apology. She had to be strong. Not just her mind, not her body, her soul. She was so much better than this. Tina could control herself better than anyone. Tina did not need to have someone control her, not Grindelwald. She was her own human and no one would take that away from her. "I'm not "Tina" for you. Go find another victim for your club of lost souls. I have better things to do" "Then why are you here?" "I'm here to save human life if necessary"

Leta would have screamed, if this strange woman hadn't put her hand on her mouth. "Shut up, if you scream now, the only person who will come is Grindelwald. And before you try to make a scene or something, you'll explain this situation to me. But not here", she whispered. The woman quickly tried to rearrange her short dark brown hair, before she gave it up and trailed Leta after her. "Who do you think you are? If you don't let me go immediately, I will..." "You will wait for your beautiful auror husband to save you? Or your former the best friend who is completely broken because of you? I can promise you, honey, there is no one except me here, no one will hear you" Leta did not try to pull herself away from this woman, she did not want to meet her wand. They were walking down the streets of Paris and as they were far away enough from Grindelwalds secret meeting, the woman apparated with her. She hated being kidnapped, why did it always had to be her?

"What did you want there?", Tina whispered. Although they were at the other end of Paris and Grindelwald wouldn't find them, she still did not dare to challenge her luck. "There? It's not your business to follow me around, I can do whatever I want. And I have never seen you before. So, who are you, if I may ask?", she said, the sarcasm in her voice louder than anything else around Tina. They were sitting in a pretty cafe, with red stone walls and neat black wooden tables. No one else was there, but that was normal, because it was evening and most Parisians now moved to a restaurant or went home to eat their three course dinner. Still, everything around them was bright, and Tina assumed that most Parisians were afraid of the dark. Too many lights, not as much as in New York, but somehow warmer.  
"I'm Tina Goldstein, auror and working for the magical congress of the United States of America. I have every right in the world to follow you, when I have the suspicion that you are going to commit a crime, and attending a meeting of Grindelwalds followers definitely counts for that. And, I know, a as smart person as you are, you will be asking yourself: why am I here? I am here because of Grindelwald. I have permission by our magical president to try to catch Grindelwald. The U.S. Are of course trying to make up for their, how do you call that in France?, their faux-pas of letting Grindelwald escape. And I know that your dear Theseus fiancé or whatever was responsible for taking him to London, but did not attend, which is the reason for his escape, so you better be quiet", Tina stared at Leta, trying to intimidate her. Okay, maybe she did not have permission to search for Grindelwald, maybe that was a lie. But there were some things an auror had to do to succeed. And breaking the law was one of them.

"I... I did not plan to be one of Grindelwalds people. I... I'm sorry. I just thought that it was... Okay, it is a long story. But why do you know so much about me, why do you follow me and not Theseus?" "It's a long story" Leta rolled her eyes hardly and Tina did not want to allow her to use the same gesture as she did, but sadly she couldn't do anything against that. "Wait a second. I know you from somewhere..." "Good job, Sherlock. But I would at least expect a: I will be your servant forever, master Tina, thank you more than anything that you saved me from safe death and had the grace to not let me die there, after I ignored you and just talked to Credence and Newt, even though you and your sister did the real work" Leta frowned and her beautiful forehead creased. Tina smiled. Not so beautiful anymore. "Well, my brother and my best friend were more important to me in that situation. I'm sorry if that hurt your feelings, but you have to have priorities in your life"  
Tina almost wanted to laugh. Leta had left Newt years ago, years without any sign of her. Of course, he was her priority, of course, after this long time, he was still her best friend. Of course, she still liked him as if she had never left. Surely, it did not matter that she had broke Newts heart. It made Tina angry, to know that the most important person in his life could gloss over everything so quickly. "I am sorry, really, Tina. I just... Okay, I will tell you the truth. I wanted to be free. My whole family wanted me to be a great person, ambitious and the perfect daughter. My mother left because of that and my father still held on to the old rules. And... I love Theseus. I got engaged to him, not just because of our love, but because marrying him would mean that I no longer belong to the Lestranges, to the person that left Credence on the stairs of a New Yorker orphanage in our vacation. And then there was Grindelwald. He... He told me things. Parts of his life. And it all sounded so relatable. He said that the only way for me to really forget my past and everything I did wrong and what my family did wrong, was building a new world with him. I believed him, because I wanted a way out. I wanted to escape, because I was scared. Scared that Theseus wouldn't understand. His family is wonderful. I should have never thought about doing this, Tina" Tina heard the tears in Letas words, before Leta really began to cry. She didn't know how to comfort other people than her sister, but she tried to hug her. Why was she here? The sun went down and for a second, they were both lost in the tears. The sun lighted up everything around them and Tina understood that there were more important things than hating Leta because of what she had done. She could still change and this was her new beginning. The sun was gone now and with it the bad thoughts about Leta. She was only human and somehow, Tina could relate to her now. "Don't cry, Leta. I won't tell anyone. It will be just like a new beginning. We can be friends" Leta looked up, her hair drenched in her own tears. "If?" "No if. Just promise me that you won't hurt Newt again. I understand you too good in some things, I know what Grindelwald does to you, he did the same to me, so why shouldn't we share friendship?" A spark appeared in Letas eyes. The sun was gone, it had to be something else than light. Maybe it was magic. "Newt? You and Newt?", she slowly smiled, still crying a bit, "I'm happy for him. And I'm happy that you found me, before I could have gone back" And it really was a new beginning.

"I picked her up at the old disapparation office. She was quite scared. We should care for her, until she feels better", Tina explained to them. They were all sitting in Nicholas Flamels cosy living room and tried to make a plan, which didn't really work. "I mean... Shouldn't we wait until you cured Credence? Then Grindelwald wouldn't try to get him anymore, and we just had to deal with him", that was Jacobs opinion. "You're right, but we can't wait now. Grindelwald has been quiet for the last ten hours, but we still can't rely on him being friendly. It's just his strategy. He will attack when we least expect it", Dumbledore said. "Hello?! I am sorry, but we almost died an hour ago and you sit here, drink tea and talk about Grindelwald as if he was a big puppet", Leta almost shouted, to interrupt the other talks in the room. Everybody turned around and Tina would forever be envious that Leta could get their attention in about two seconds. "Leta is totally right. She wouldn't be here, when I would not have found here in the right time", Tina said, almost as loud as Leta. "What happened to you?", Newt asked. They both ignored him. He couldn't just interrupt their performance right now. "As I was saying, Grindelwald was meeting his followers and Leta was at the wrong place at the wrong time. She went to the old disapparation office, you know the one, that they had to shut because they had too less money to have two of them? I found her, just as Grindelwald noticed her. He would have killed her, or worse", Tina tried to convince them. She hoped that they would believe their story. The worry about Letas life should keep Newt from thinking too much. She would not be able to hide it in front of Queenie, but Newt did not deserve to find out that his best friend almost betrayed him. Dumbledore lifted one eyebrow, but did not say anything, the same as Nicholas and Perenelle. Credence tried to hug Leta, but couldn't because of the huge table full of tea between them. Malena knew it, Tina was sure. "Sit down, and then we can talk about it over some tea or coffee or whatever you want to drink. This is what people do when they talk about things, don't they? Sorry, I don't really meet people to drink tea with them. But one thing's for sure: Grindelwald wants something and this is why he keeps attacking Leta and Credence. I mean Credence because he is an obscurial, but why Leta?". Mal asked the question, which the others did not want to ask. Tina exchanged a look with Leta, she was about to talk, but it was Queenie who anwsered her question. "Because of Newt. And don't look at me like this, we all know that it is the truth" Newt was seemingly confused. "I don't think he has to attack Leta to get me. If he wants to fight against me, then he should say it. If he wants to attack me with that, it's his problem, but I believe the kidnapping her joke gets old. We shouldn't protect Leta", he whisperred the last sentence. "Why? Because he expects us to do that. And if getting the cure takes so long, I can try to learn from Credence, and he can help us fight against Grindelwald. It is the only possibility we have. It's Credences decision. I won't force him to do anything. Just know that we want to help him", he looked at Malena. "I will help you, you are my friends. And you should always help your friends. And if Grindelwald tries to destroy that, he can try as much as he wants to. The prince of darkness won't give up", he smiled. Malena whispered something in his ear, and he smiled even brighter. "It's master of the darkness, sorry" After his words, everyone was silent. "He isn't attacking Leta just because of Newt. He is attacking Leta, so Newt follows. And if Newt follows you, dear Miss Lestrange, then I will have to follow you too. Newt is the only one able to fight against him, but he isn't interested in fighting. Grindelwald doesn't fight, he is no fighter. He is just manipulating us all, until we are too broken, and that is the moment when he will attack. He doesn't do it because of you, Newt. It's not your fault, nor Credences or Letas. He just wants me to come. He wants me to acknowledge that he is better than I am, he wants me on his side. But obviously I won't ever do that. He will try or have tried to recruit every one of you. He needs people like you are. You are willing to fight for what is right, and that is the best motivation an old man like me could get. You are the people born to prevent Grindelwald from rising to power."


	18. Chapter 17 - You just died in my arms

**Hello everybody, hope you enjoy!**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 17**

"Hey Newt", Leta said. Newt was trying to decide if he should ignore her or hug her. Maybe both? Why did his life have to be this way? It was clear to him that Tina was lying about something and that everyone around him did not want him to know. But what could it be and why would they do that to him? "Hey... umm... Leta. What do you want?" "I want... nothing" Newt did not care about the rain, about his wet hair and that he couldn't see Leta right because of the rain drops. It did not make him happier, it did not make him sad that she was here now. He hated this emptiness, as if something (or someone) had been taken out of his life. And now he was sure that this someone was Leta. "I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry. For everything. I did not want you to — to go through all of this. You might think that I left you, forgot you. I didn't. It hurts every day, it hurts today and I know it will hurt until the end of my days, but it would make me feel better if you knew. I know I can't do anything to make up for my mistakes" Newt did not want to look at her. He would have gone into Flamels house again, but he knew that they were currently all preparing breakfast and there were just enough rooms in this house so everyone could sleep somewhere — not to mention that Jacob was still sleeping. Jacob and Newt shared a room, probably because Jacob was the only one that tolerated that Newt woke up in the middle of the night to look for his creatures. "I'm okay with it, as long as you don't feed me to a dragon. I know, these little guys need some help sometimes. If you need someone to feed your occamies — I'm your man", he had said. Newt was grateful to have Jacob, he was one of the reasons why Grindelwald was wrong. Jacob was the most tolerant muggle, (and the nicest), that he knew. Leta began to speak again, but Newt did not want to listen. He did not want to be thrown into that cauldron with all the hurt and these damn memories. Newt had done too much for her, but he had realized by now that she did not need him. Leta had Theseus. And Newt had other friends, and he would give his life up for them. Friends who would do the same things for him. "I just want you to be happy, just like I try to be, because you deserve it more than anyone. More than I do for sure", she smiled sadly. Newt had the feeling that he had seen to many people in his life be sad and smile at the same time. It did not hurt him anymore. He had begun to let go Leta, and he realized that there was a future for both of them. Just not together. "It's good to know that we have the same opinion. For the first time" Letting go did not hurt that much after all.

"Come on, don't be a coward. You said you would come if I needed you, but now you're not here. You don't dare to mess with me, do you? You are scared of me. You believe that I am better now", nothing happened. Credence stood in the cold, Malena was nowhere to be seen. He was all alone or so it seemed. There was no one except him on the streets of Paris. Credence leaned against the wall of a white house at the end of a lane. He had chosen the place randomly, he had never been here before. But he wasn't ready to tell Grindelwald where he was living now. Malena told him that Skender had lived for a short time period in there and that it was abandoned now. It was quite beautiful, one of the kind of houses where everyone wanted to live. Beautiful, big, near the city center. Credence imagined himself living in this house, a normal life, with a normal job. Or at least as a normal wizard, a happy wizard. It seemed so strange, he could not see himself in another place, and he realized that he would become mad if he had to be stuck in such a boring life. He didn't want his life, but nothing else? Why did his life have to be so complicated? Credence did not hesitate, as he touched the chain around his neck. It really felt like a chain, it remembered him of Grindelwald and that there was no escape, that he would always be this monster. Why didn't he come? But on the other hand, Credence wouldn't come either if he was in Grindelwalds place. He did not want to be caught. He was about to leave, but waited a second. Stupid intuition, he told himself. "Hello, Corvus", the same soft, low voice as always, tinted from behind him. Why did Grindelwald always have to apparate behind him? Probably because it brought him more attention, and he could show the drama queen inside. "Don't call me Corvus, that's not my name" Credence actually did not plan to turn around, he did not want to take part in Grindelwalds games, but a second later he had enough. Newt had explained the whole transfiguration thing to him, and really, Grindelwald was the same as in the newspapers that he had showed him. Just his beard and hair had grown a bit longer, probably because of the months in prison. "Don't try to boss me around. I could leave any moment, you know" It was strange, that he said these words playfully but was actually serious. "I'm not here to follow your orders, I'm here to talk to you" Grindelwald wrinkled his nose, he didn't like the idea of not having the control. "Talk about what?", the dark wizard said. "About me and you" "You and me? I thought you now feel all grown-up and believe that you follow the right way and that stupid nonsense? Didn't Albus taught you how to talk to me? Did he make you learn your text? Well, I don't know what's your next line, but I also don't think I want to hear it" "Wait.", Credence whispered. Grindelwald lifted one eyebrow, he was about to say something, but didn't. "I just want you to know... You try to get equality but do the wrong thing instead", the boy said. Gellert almost laughed. As he began to speak again, his voice kind of sounded broken, not broken from the quality of his voice, but broken, as if something inside him had been broken. "You're too deep into thinking he's the good one. He is doing the same thing as I do. He tells you that he will cure you, he promises you things. You don't know if he will ever succeed, if he will ever be able to give you what you want. I may tell you: he doesn't know either. I and Dumbledore, we aren't all that different. He will play you like a toy, Credence. And then there will be a point when he will throw you onto the floor, either because you lost your ability or because he doesn't believe in your use anymore. And when you fall, there will be no Newt there to catch you. You will just have the choice: me or being broken for eternity" And with Grindelwalds words, Credece confidence shrank. What was right and what was evil? What was good and what was wrong? He certainly did not know anymore.

"It starts again. It starts like last time", she said. "Lally", Modesty shouted, while she tried to wake up the only person that could count as a mother figure for her. "Lally, wake up, I need you. Stop it! I AM HERE!", Modesty had never shouted as loud as she did now. Eulalie sat in her armchair, in front of her table full of books and homework from student, as always, her beautiful hair piled to a crown. Something was wrong. While she screamed, Modesty couldn't hear anything but her own voice, even though the only thing she wanted to hear was Eulalies voice. Her real voice. But no matter how loud she cried, Eulalie Hicks did not wake up, instead she was possessed by this strange voice, that made Modesty want to run away. She was a stubborn human, she wouldn't run away, this voice was not stronger than she was, and even if, the voice had to prove that first. Still, she felt cold and she was afraid. "One of them will fail. One of them will lose everything to save another. And one will be able to keep the other four from dying. But everything, everything, everything is too late. The blood! DEATH! He will kill to get what he wants! No one is safe", the broken, high but deep voice seemed to freeze everything around her. But that couldn't be, then why couldn't Modesty move? She was scared, more than scared. But her heart stood still for a moment, as the scratching voice screamed her name. "MODESTY! Modesty, get away from them. No. What did you do to my sister, you beast! TELL ME YOUR NAME!" The worst of it all was that Eulalie didn't move. She was sitting on her armchair in her office, as every Friday night. There was just this demon-thing against her. "You won't get it. I won't tell you. NO! LEAVE ME!", the silence made Modesty calm down, but just a moment later, Eulalie began to speak again. "It began like every time. But it ended differently", she whispered the last words. Modesty blinked, as her new adoptive mother smiled at her. "Sorry, I was a bit tired. Good that you woke me up. Do you want some milk?" Modesty listened to Lallys words, and she realized that she would not tell anyone about what she had heard.

No one knew anymore, who was saying anything. Their voices melted to a giant mess, but no one could care about that anymore. "Are you okay?" "Can you hear me?" And from far away, someone pushed himself through the crowd of people standing around, some crying, some casting spells. "Get out of my way! I said get out of my way! How long do you want me to sit here, for ages? I have waited for too long, I have sat by too long. You all believe that it is easy. My life isn't easy, neither is his. He knew what could happen, I knew. Next time someone is getting attacked, while you look, ask yourselves what is wrong with you. Believe me, he isn't the cursed one in here. It is people that don't understand that you have to fight to get what you want and that nothing will happen if you just sit by and watch until everything happens by itself. I am looking at you, Mr. Flamel. You promised to keep him alive! He's dying inside, just like everyone of us, and I won't let that happen!" Malena didn't care if someone was standing in her way, without caution, she pushed everybody aside, until she sat next to his body. The others could have sworn to have heard her hissing the last sentence like a snake. But Malena did not care about other peoples opinion. She had lost too much in her life listening to others that wouldn't help her. "Stop staring at me like I am to pity. It could have been everybody. You could be next. It's war, people! Don't look at me like I wouldn't have known that something could happen. You all know that. And if your loved ones die, then you wouldn't want a crowd of people staring at them" She wrapped her arms around Credence neck and closed her eyes. "And if you want to know, without me he wouldn't be alive. Which is more than anyone of you has ever done for him", Malena hated saying these things. She hated being mean to people, but it was the only way for her to pretend that she wasn't actually crying right now. "Credence...", she whispered and tried to ignore the darkness that almost devoured his hands and his hair. "I am there for you. In death and in live" As she kissed him, it did not feel as the last time, probably because she was still crying. There was nothing she had wanted more in her life than kissing him. And she hated that he was almost every time when she kissed him. Was she cursed or why did she had to love someone that was pure darkness? But a second later she realized that this was more of a parody of her life. Of course, she was cursed. She had always been. Credence was the only one that made her feel less cursed. And now he was gone. As she didn't touch his warm lips anymore, as she realized that it had not worked, she looked up, she did not try to hide her tears. In the first line stood Tina, Newt and Leta. The only people in his life that had really cared about him, they all were in this room. Malena did not want to say the words, as if it would change anything. She had never felt as lost as today. And she had thought that he could control it. "Credence is dead." The curtain fell and with him, Malena got lost in the darkness. Everything that was left for her now.


	19. Chapter 18 - Here we go again

**Hello everybody, thanks for reading.**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 18**

"Credence? Credence?!" It was Grindelwald. "Get away from him! He is dead, you don't have any power over him. It is all your fault. Because of your stupid words", it was nothing more than a whisper, Malenas voice wasn't strong enough. Gellert Grindelwald apparated, directly onto the street, where she had found Credence. The street, where he had met Grindelwald. "Where is Albus?", he asked. His whisper was as desperate as Mals and that made it even worse. "He went out to ask one of his alchemy friends because of some kind of plan, hours ago, together with Perenelle. I am not good at healing spells, I couldn't do anything against it", Nicholas Flamel reported. Grindelwalds face twisted into a grimace, as he heard their voice. He shoved Mal away from Credence and squatted down next to him. He put one of his hands onto Credence chest, closed his eyes, just as Mal had tried, and partly whispered, partly sang: "Vulnera Sanentur... Vulnera Sanentur... Vulnera Sanentur." No magic came out of Grindelwalds hands. He drew his wand and tried again. Still, nothing happened. "I got you, Credence. You won't die. Listen to me, you won't die. Not like Ariana", he whispered. No one except Malena was near enough to hear it. "Give up, you can't save him anymore", Leta said, Mal could hear the tears in her voice. Grindelwald did not even turn in her direction, as he said: " You better be quiet, Lestrange. The last time you gave up fighting, he got abused and turned into an obscurial, because of you. Every time I give up in my life, I lose something or someone. I have lost too much. Credence won't be on that list. And even though he has chosen to be against me, I won't let him die." Mal did have to look at him twice, as she realized that Grindelwald was crying, together with everyone in this room. And then, as everyone was silent, she heard someone laugh. She had heard that laugh before. It was Credence. "I was right. You are on the wrong way, with the right intentions. Plottwist. I hope you remember this day some time again and tell yourself: maybe I should have given up then. Either giving up or failing forever, Grindelwald. And I believe that giving up to do the right thing is better." Malena saw his lips moving. Malena, I love you. She loved him too, and this day had made it clear to her, how much.

"What's your name?" Grindelwald, Grindelwald, Grindelwald was talking to him. Why was he here? What on earth had brought him here? Maybe it was because he was stupid. More stupid than usual. "My name's Krall, sir." He lifted one eyebrow and Krall knew that he was judging him. "Are you really sure that it is the right decision for you? Do you swear to give everything you have to the greater good? Will you defend your belief in it at all times, even when threatened with torture, death or other?" "Yes", he murmured. Krall knew that Grindelwald did not believe him. "And at least: what is your reason to be here?" Why did he have to know that? He wasn't ready to tell it anyone and especially not Grindelwald. "If you are not willing to tell the truth, you are not able to serve in my army, Krall. Or you won't be able to do anything at all. It depends" Grindelwald was scary. Not because of his looks, not because he was the darkest wizard that had ever existed. But because he was so kind to everybody but could be so brutal at times. There was no plan on how to deal with him. He was uncontrollable. Krall heard the threat in Grindelwalds voice. It had been his choice and there was nothing that would make him give it up. You promised it. You promised it by your life and you won't give up, not now. Don't be a coward, Krall. At then end, you will win. You promised by the last words of your sister, told him his brain. He couldn't listen to it, there was just fear in him, he was no hero. He had never been, and there was no way that he was able to do this without dying. Krall was not ready to die now. Your sister wasn't ready either. "I'm sorry, sir. My family was murdered by the", he took a deep breath, "the ministry, just because they were werewolves. Our family had a long history of purebloods, until my mother was bitten. She had founded a school to help other werewolves control themselves. Everything... They destroyed everything, but couldn't see what they had done. This is why I am here. I want to built up again, what my mother built. You say, control and belief are the two things in life that can change everything. I believe that there is no sense in living in a world, where people murder without looking twice. We were werewolves, but we were good. We never killed anybody, we were controlling ourselves. And I hope you can give me a better future than what I had to leave behind", Krall said loudly. Grindelwald did not hesitate. He believed him, finally. The pain made it easier to relate to people. And sometimes, in the time he would now be one of Grindelwalds acolytes, he saw the same pain in Grindelwalds face, as in the face he saw in the mirror every morning. They were both fighting for something, but Krall did not fight, unlike Grindelwald, in a war that was already lost. Krall had a chance of winning, he would win, if he just did not leave Grindelwald. But he had to stay because of other reasons than what Grindelwald thought.

It had been winter, the winter after his family had left him, and Krall did not have any idea on how to survive. He wouldn't even want to survive, if there had not been the promise. His whole life had been thrown away, by no one other than Grindelwalds former friends and supporters at Durmstrang. He lied too often, but this time, there was no other possibility. Grindelwald did not remember the screams of Kralls little sister, he did not remember how his friends had laughed, as she had told Krall: "Promise me, do what is right. Don't become like one of them. Do what is right, Krall.", she said, as she closed her eyes. Grindelwald did not remember how Krall had slaughtered all his former friends, after they finished laughing, because he had not been there. Gellert Grindelwald was travelling to England, but his "friends" took him as an example. (They were not really his friends, they all just looked up to him). And Krall had realized that they had not killed them all because they were psychopaths. Grindelwald wouldn't have done that. They had killed them to experiment with them, because they thought that that was what Gellert was doing. They all were so wrong. They did not know anything about him. Neither did Krall. The only person that really knew Grindelwald was Albus Dumbledore. And he was the person that found Krall lying in the snow, almost dead. He had given his life to Dumbledore, without him he wouldn't have it anymore and Krall remembered the slogan his mother had always sung to him, when he was little. A life dedicated to the Good is the greatest gift anyone can give the world. This was the real reason why he served for Grindelwald. He was Dumbledores spy.

"Master, you want to do what?" "This is just phase one of my plan, Vinda. You don't have enough time to question my methods. And even if you had, your opinion wouldn't matter. We do what we said. If you do your job good enough, everyone of you will have a wish free. But still, there is work to do" "Sir, I believe we don't really know what you mean with your words. Of course, we want to follow your plan, but if we don't know what it is about, we can't do anything", Corvus Lestrange the fourth said. Grindelwald had always had the feeling that he was the most stupid of his followers. It wasn't smart to ask too much question. Krall opened the mouth, but did not say anything. "I said that we are going to fight" "Fight? But it's too soon. When we fight now then", Vinda said, and immediately stopped herself from talking. Her words were not as important as her life to her. . She understood. Gellert smiled. Finally, someone who understood him. "I know, and I appreciate all your opinions more than anything. We won't start a war, if you thought that. Just some attacks. There is a lot what we have to do. Some of it is too secret and I can't tell it to anyone. Some of it you may already know. You are my dearest friends, and this is why I ask you: what should I do?" Friends. The word sounded bitter on his tongue. Gellert did not have any friends, he had lost the ability to make them, to trust them, in the moment as Ariana died. He did not care about his army, not about any of them. They were all just tools. Tools, to make the world see their mistakes. Grindelwald had not just chosen his army of the dearest acolytes because of their abilities. Corvus did not want anything more than get revenge for what the muggles had done to his son, he did not know that Credence was alive and if he listened to Grindelwald, that would not change. Vinda had been accused of almost everything, half of her fellow aurors hated her because of her talent, the other half loved her. And the hate was stronger than the love, which was why the aurors accused her of attacking muggles. Everything she had done in her life had been destroyed by a muggle who believed that she was the reason for the scar on his left arm. And Krall... Krall hated everybody around him. He was kind to everybody, but in his soul, he hated them all. Grindelwald did not trust any of them. They all had enough reasons to hate him, to betray him. And his great, great master plan was that they were his dearest followers. The only ones who could be able to destroy everything around him, to take his crown. This was why they would be the front line in his war. His war of regret and revenge.

It began suddenly. Lost people, some waking up with scars they had never seen before. It all began with one thing. Grindelwald hated murdering people of whom he knew the name. He had decided to let Newt, Tina and Queenie live. They would survive either way, he had seen it in his visions too often. But a little fear wouldn't harm them too much. They should know that he was able to control their life — that he was able to do things they weren't even able to imagine. As he, Vinda, Corvus, Krall and about five other of his followers came, they were all sleeping. What a beautiful house Nicholas Flamel had there! It really was pretty, with its white almost grey stone walls and this wooden door. Gellert did not even try to open the door. Of course the house had protecting charms around it, he had felt them last time, as he thought that Credence died. He just smiled at Krall, who nodded. Krall didn't seem to be well tonight, probably because it was full moon and because he was sick. He couldn't even stand out of his bed, couldn't write letters or eat like a normal person. No one had been able to cure him, but luckily they had him, Grindelwald. After Arianas death, he had studied every healing spell in the world. He wouldn't let anyone of the people that mattered die again. There were just a few that mattered to him, but they meant too much to him. He went through the list of these people and his heart stopped a little, as he remembered that Dumbledore, Albus, would be in there. He did not look up as Krall kicked down the door, he didn't focus on the furniture or the house, as they went in. If he had looked, he would have thought that it was probably beautiful. Everything in this house was in absolute order, but that only reminded him of what a mess he, himself was inside. Nicholas slept on the couch, next to his wife Perenelle and snored. How could anyone sleep while hearing that much noise? The living room and the kitchen were absolutely empty, except a lot of paperwork on Nicholas desk. "Do we really have to go up?", one of his acolytes asked. Grindelwald just rolled his eyes. With a wink of his hand, the acolyte was quiet. "I just want to say: if anyone wants to go: run away, but don't expect me to take you back again, when you come begging. And I have to tell you: I agree, it isn't the most beautiful method and you are all probably totally scared to death, but this is the safest. If anyone of them wakes up: some of you will stand at every bed, to cast spells — and remind yourselves: no killing curse. They could all be useful.", Gellert Grindelwald said. Finally, he felt the spells on the house trying to make him go out. He blocked them all out, he made a shield around him and his followers, even those who now stayed at Nicholas and Perenelles side. The protection wanted to take his magic, wanted to eat it all up, but Grindelwald knew this kind of magic. He had read a lot about Flamels magic style and was prepared. He would get what he had wanted. Nothing in the room where Tina, Queenie and Leta slept, nothing next to Jacob and Newt. "Okay: You come with me. Krall, you stay with Tina and Corvus, you with Jacob and Newt and Vinda stays with Malena" He did not know how he managed to keep Corvus from seeing Credence, but he had the imperio on all of his acolytes. They wouldn't destory his plan today.As he finally arrived in the attic, he did just have to look once and knew that it was Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, who sat on the floor. Awake.


	20. Chapter 19 - Not all dreams come true

**Hello everybody, hope you like the way the Story goes (tell me your opinion and write a Review),**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 19**

Albus had waited for too long, finally, Grindelwald came. For a second, he seemed confused, but then the same old, charming smile appeared on his face. He was in manipulating mood, as always. Don't look at his smile, don't look into his eyes, you don't know what he wants from you, maybe he is just trying to intimidate you. "Albus. It's good to see you, Al", he whispered. Why did he always have to whisper? "I'm not Al for you anymore, Gellert. And also try to speak like a normal human once", he said, whispering the same way Grindelwald did. Said person rolled the eyes, while laughing. "I missed you too. Look at you, the same person I once knew so good. Why do we have to be on different sides? Why is life so cruel to me? What did I do to deserve this torture?", he asked himself. "Oh, I don't know, maybe kill my sister", he said bitterly. He tried to build the walls around his heart up, he wouldn't let it happen again. He would never trust Gellert again, he had learned too often that he used people like toys. Dumbledore shouldn't listen to his words, he was a liar, a liar with the face of an angel. Albus should stop thinking these things, he should stop the memories in his brain. This was the possible murderer of his sister, he shouldn't feel this way. For once, Grindelwald was quiet. "You forgot her, did you? I don't know why you believe that you can win this war with yourself. I never wanted to fight you, Gellert, but I know that there will come a time, when I have to. It's just me against you, it's not like the rest of the world is against us. The only thing I ever wanted was our dream, I think about it every night and every day. But every dream dies when you wake up. And I guess, that I woke up, after Arianas death. I will never ever be on your side, because you try to make peace and justice by fighting", Albus said. There was just this strange little room, and on the other end of it, about a meter away from him, sat Gellert. Albus looked directly into his eyes. This time, he wouldn't lose control, he wouldn't lose against this feeling. He was the wisest man in his century. He wouldn't let anyone control him, not even his first love. Dumbledore felt as if they were both in a wrestling competition. They both had the same goal: to get the opponent onto their side. But most of it was just a show, Gellert was a seer, he already knew how it would end. Albus wasn't ready to give up, even if Grindelwald could see that he would win this war. Gelllert had never been a true seer, he had the ability to see the future, but not all of his visions were true. There was still a chance, and he would fight for it. In every human was a bit good, and he was willing to fight his whole life for the little part of Grindelwalds heart, that understood that he was doing something wrong. Dumbledore remembered everything, every time he saw Gellert. In the end, they were like fire and air: they needed each other, but they could destroy each other in just a moment. Albus saw the fire in Gellerts eyes, the same fire as always. A bit mad, a bit believing in the things he said, but the rest was just pain, the pain of destroying everything that mattered to him by accident or on purpose. "Some dreams can come true, Al. Some dreams came true while you slept your hundred-year lasting sleep", he murmured. And for once, Albus had no idea what he was talking about. "Excuse me, Albus Percival, I have a cure to get into my hands", he said and disapparated.In the same second as the about ten acolytes under him. Grindelwald had taken the cure.

"Albus", the only thing that came over Gellerts lips was his name. His name and only his name . He said so much more, but it did not matter to him, it was wrong, like everything else in his life. Everything except Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. "Albus", he said again. Stupid, stupid, why did he have to be so stupid? What had happened to the real Gellert, the one who could talk hours to convince anyone of anything. All his confidence, taken away by just one word. Then, as if he hadn't embarrassed himself enough, he hurt his head at the ceiling, the attic wasn't made for tall people, probably the reason why Dumbledore sat on the floor. He did not see anything except Albus, as he fell on the floor. At least he could see in his eyes now. Gellert wished he hadn't done it. You have a plan. You have a plan. Manipulate him or whatever. Say what your heart tells you, you know some cheesy believer stuff, to distract him, until you find the cure. Because that was his plan. He would steal the cure and his acolytes had just now destroyed everything Flamel had written down about it, so Credence could just get it from him. Credence would want to be cured, and he would be, after he had helped Grindelwalds cause. Newt would do the same, everyone of them would lose something they loved. They had to give up before Albus could get him to give up first. He would win this somehow, he would win, even though of his feelings, even though all the mistakes he had done. A new world, for Ariana. But instead of Gellert talking, Albus began to speak. Every word made Ariana die again. He believed in the things he wanted, he would fight for his new world, he wouldn't give up. It was the only kind of mantra he had. He was strong enough to survive, he could control himself, the world. What was Albus even saying? He did not know anymore. In the right moment, his brain came back, and caught the bottle with the cure, next to Albus. Gellert was too confused to do anything now except glancing at Albus. "Some dreams came true, while you slept your hundred year lasting sleep, Albus", he said and grabbed Albus hat, which had been lying next to the bottle and disapparated, just like his acolytes had done minutes ago. He had always wanted to have Albus hat. If he had his hat, he could pretend. It was something he could remember when he ended up in prison, old and alone. When Voldemort would come and kill him. Some things really came true, like his feelings. The time he hadn't seen Albus, had made them just worse. There would be a time when he would have to choose between fighting and giving up, just like Credence said. It all had to do with Albus. He was the one to end the war.

"How could that happen? You know that this is the end of your brilliant plan, Albus, do you?!" "Calm down, Nicholas. By the way I told you that the only way to prevent him from doing this was letting me protect the house. But you were so stubborn. Stay positive. We are lucky that Grindelwald did not kill us", Dumbledore tried to calm Mr. Flamel down. "Positive? How am I supposed to stay positive?! This little wanna-be wizard with his forty years destroyed everything I ever worked for. My master piece, and then he comes and destroys it, as if it wasn't important. All the work, a hundred years of work, destroyed by just one wizard! I will kill Grindelwald, for what he did. I will kill him, with my bare hands, and he will wish that he did not mess with the oldest wizard of worlds history. I am stronger than he will ever be, if I wasn't, I wouldn't have survived all the wars and all the time. He will regret, regret until he wants nothing more than to be dead. He should never steal anyone's life work again. No one can get away with stealing my cure. I promised Credence and Malena to save them. I promised. I don't break promises. Goodbye, Gellert Grindelwald", he heard Newt Nicholas Flamel say. He was angrier than he had ever imagined him to be. Newt actually had wanted to sleep, but the two wizards argued too loud in the living room. Newt had no idea how Jacob could sleep with this much noise in his ears. Slowly Newt walked down the stairs, in his coat (he had wanted to feed the Niffler, which was why he had to wear the dark blue coat, the complete opposite of shiny). He stopped at the last step, where Queenie stood, her hands on her ears and Tina who was calming her down. Newt waved shortly, Tina waved back and rolled the eyes at the fighting two wizards. "You can't fight evil with being evil, Nicholas. You can't kill Gellert Grindelwald. We have to find a peaceful resolution. Besides, wouldn't it be a more satisfying possibility to imprison him for the rest of his life? He wouldn't steal your work anymore. It would be cruel to kill him, Nicholas. He has to stay alive, he is the only one who can give us the cure", Dumbledore said, louder, almost as loud as Flamels voice. It was early in the morning and the first thing newt saw in the living room was that the door was a little broken. Someone had repaired it, but still, you could see that it had been kicked down. The light shined through some of the holes in the door. "DUMBLEDORE. He has done too much, we can't let him get away. We have to cure Credence, we have to stop before it comes to a war. The last time they imprisoned him, he escaped. How can we be sure that it doesn't happen this time?!" "It won't!" "Of course, the great Albus Dumbledore knows what to do. Why do you always think you're right? Oh, right, you don't. You are just an insecure wizard, haunted by his past. You are so scared to be wrong, to go the wrong way, that you don't risk anything. We have to kill Grindelwald, believe me, it's the only way" "Why am I scared to be wrong, Nicholas? Why don't I become the minister of magic? Why? Because I, instead of you, learned that power and violence destroy people. It destroyed Grindelwald, it will destroy you, if you aren't careful", they both were now screaming. Neither Nicholas nor Albus saw Queenie, Tina and Newt on the stairs, they were too busy fighting. Newt believed that if they didn't immediately stop, they would duel each other. It would happen. But he couldn't do anything. There was no way to stop it. Suddenly, someone screamed. He didn't know what it was, but Dumbledore immediately was quiet, tears in his eyes. A second later, Flamel also was silent. Newt realized, that it had been Queenie, who was crying, Tinas hand on her shoulder and her own hands on her ears, as if she could stop reading their minds, if she put her hands on them. She said STOP. "Stop, Stop fighting. Stop for once. You know why Grindelwald could steal the cure? Because you argue, because you don't want peace, because you don't understand that you have to damn work together. So, just for once, stop thinking and go back to the friendship you two had, before Grindelwald came", Queenie almost screamed. She took the hands of her ears. Newt hugged her, it was the only thing he knew that could make her feel better. And he hugged Tina, not because of Queenie but because of... Because of what again? He had forgotten, but he did hug her.

It still hurt, it hurt every time. He didn't read the newspapers anymore, he didn't ask anyone about their opinions. He didn't care about other people anymore, there was too much he had done wrong, there was too much he did not want to feel again. The visions made it worse. He did not want to close his eyes anymore, he was too scared. Why should he be scared, he, Gellert Grindelwald, the greatest wizard of his time? There was no way that he could give up, there was no reason to give up, was there? He would fight until the end of his life, he would survive or die. It hurt every time someone said his name, it hurt every time someone said that he was a liar, that he manipulated and killed innocents. It hurt and everything he ever wanted to do was forget. But there was no way. There was too much behind him, too many sacrifices, he couldn't say goodbye to the greater good. Once in his life, he met a seer. A true seer, he didn't remember her name. But her words haunted him every night, even if he couldn't sleep. He would lose everything, he would lose everything, because he had tried to manipulate and lie to someone who would gave up everything for him. He would give up, not because he wasn't able to fight anymore, but he would give up, because there was only one way to make up for the mistakes. Liar. A word to destroy his life, a word to make it clear to him what he had done. And now he was sitting here and realized what he had lost. Gellert had not wanted to fall in love. Surely, Albus was brilliant, he was great, and he was beautiful. But Gellert did not love anyone. He shouldn't, he had not wanted to let anyone destroy the walls around his heart. He was used to manipulating everyone around him, he was used to telling people things that were partly lies. Grindelwald did not plan on falling in love. Love was such an overrated word. True love was cliché. What did it use him to depend on someone else?

Gellert Grindelwald did not fall in love with people. But Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was not people. Gellert Grindelwald did not intend to really love him, he was a bored teenager who was just fascinated by this other boy. Albus came and crashed all of his plans. In the end, Gellert didn't manipulate him. At the end of this summer, he fell in love.


	21. Chapter 20 - the girl without a name

**Hello everybody, hope you like it!**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 20**

"It's enough, It's enough. I can't do this any longer. I am not able to survive, if I have to see everything. You know, maybe there are things that should stay secret", Queenie told her, both sitting on Tinas bed, in the room that Nicholas Flamel gave them. They had not known where to stay, and he and Dumbledore wanted to plot with them, and he had a free room, so that was the best opportunity they would get. "Queenie, I know you sometimes don't see your ability as a gift... But you are a gift. You are the nicest person I know, and you are there for everybody. It's totally okay to feel low sometimes, we are all human. And even though it hurts, even though it's too much for you sometimes, you can tell me. There will be times when you have to be strong, strong in the soul, and you can count on me. Whenever you need me, I won't let it destroy you, I can save you from the voices in your head. I won't let you down", Tina said, holding the hand of her sister. "Hey, Tini, you're my sister and not my personal assistant", Queenie smiled at her, but Tina knew that she wanted nothing more than to cry right now. "Tell me what you saw. You can survive it, you can survive it by telling me", Tina looked in the eyes of her sister. Queenies normally so beautiful face was red from all the tears she had cried and her hair was messier than ever. Still, she was her sister. " Are you sure that you want to hear?", she looked up and Tina nodded heavily, "I saw... A girl, about fourteen. Blond hair, dress, reminded me of myself. And there was Dumbledore and I suppose the girl was his sister? There was also his brother, and next to him", she wiped the tears out of her face, "stood Grindelwald. Grindelwald, Tini. They dueled and then this girl came and said, just like I did, Stop. As if it could change something. But someone casted the killing spell, and it killed her. She was an obscurial, just like Credence. The three didn't want to kill her, but they did. And then Grindelwald disapparated. And Dumbledore...", she was silent. "I can't. I can't tell you, it's too much" "You don't have to, Queenie" "Thanks for being there for me", Queenie whispered, with tears in her eyes. "I'll always be."

"Isn't it quite useless?", Credence asked him. "What?" "Feeding these creatures. Couldn't they survive without your help?" Newt did not know how he had gotten here, but he was there and fed his occamies, and he could use all the help he could use. "Umm... I suppose they could. They are all a bit out of control, that's why they are here. I help them, and they give me something back, their appreciation. It's not like I possess them, they are my friends, and I am their friend. It's — umm — more as if we were a big family. We all have our problems, but together we can handle them", he said, while he petted Jacobs occamy. These big eyes seemed to smile at him, and at Credence as he carefully put his hand on his feathers. "A family?" It was strange to see him without Malena at his side. He was her shadow and she was his. There were like twins: they did not go anywhere alone. So why had he left her? But Credence face lighted up, as the occamy looked up to him, happily. Newt wasn't ready to destroy that, as he slowly realized that Credence had the same smile as Leta. It was like the sun, the brightest thing in the room. He should use it more often. "Would you mind if I care for your creatures more often?", he said, smiling. "Not really. Most people don't even realize that they aren't beasts, because beasts and creatures are quite similar. This is why I had to call my book fantastic beasts, my publisher didn't want me to call it creatures, the marketing capabilities wouldn't be that good if I changed it. But there are a few things that are different between them, and what makes them different is more important than any similarities", Newt began to say. He waited a bit, waited for Credence to run away. Most people began to sleep when he reached this part of his talk. Still, Credence seemed interested, but he couldn't be sure. He was still the troubled teenager, he still had an obscurus inside him, and he was afraid. There were two things Newt Scamander hated above all: intolerance and humans. Humans were the cruelest of all animals, they didn't think, they didn't care, they hurt others without reason. And Newt had learned that pitying people didn't lead to anything good, from Leta, but he couldn't do anything but to want Credence to forget everything that the world had done to him. "I have got an idea. Beasts are dangerous, they kill without any reason and kill whenever they have the opportunity to. Creatures are potentially dangerous, but can be tamed. They only kill if necessary, or if they are attacked. Am I right?", Credence looked up from the moon calbs, which he was feeding. "Totally right. You must have the love for creatures from your sister", Newt whispered. He did not understand the look on Credence face. As he noticed that Newt was looking at him, he quickly looked away. The same shy guy he had always been, but somehow a little stronger. "Leta did not save me. She could not stop my... I guess he really is... my father, from leaving me on the stairs of a witch hater. And I know, his opinion is, that it is better to die or be tortured than living without magic... Because a seer came to my father and told him, my mother died as I was born, told him...", Credence stared at the moon calbs and tried not to look at Newt. He knew the story of Letas brother, Leta stayed with him and his brother, every Christmas. She couldn't sleep, never, so she woke up Newt and talked with him. She missed her brother, thought of him every night, didn't want to live with her father anymore. Why couldn't her mother take her to uncle in Paris? She was scared that Corvus was dead, she would never forgive herself if he was dad. Newt had no problem with listening to her, comforting her, when she couldn't hold the tears back. "The seer told him that you would not be a wizard. But you became an obscurial, because of the cruelty of your father, and if he didn't listen to the prophecy, you would be a wizard now", Newt completed his sentence. "Anyway, Leta did not save me. She wasn't there when I needed her, she was never. She left me alone, she didn't even look after me. I never wanted a family, Newt, I just wanted someone who is there for me. And she wasn't. Maybe this was the reason why I thought of the obscurus inside as a beast. I thought that there was no other choice. I had to destroy, I had to kill, because I didn't know how to control it. I had to kill because I lived without the only person that ever had been nice to me: it wasn't the loss of my father and only partly my foster mother that made me suppress my magic. It was living without my sister. Leta couldn't save me, but now she's here and I wanted to tell you: she loved you as much as she loved me. You're her second brother, and now that you are part of the family, I believe, I should try to understand you as much as you understand me" This time, Credence did not look away, he looked directly into Newts eyes, smiling. Newt was proud to have him as a friend.

 _"What's your name?" "I don't have a name" "Everybody's got a name. How do your parents call you?" "I'm an orphan, my parents died years ago and left me here" "How do you call yourself? What do you say when you are asked what's your name?" "I told you that I don't have a name", she didn't want to talk to this stranger for any longer. He just came and saw her sitting on the streets, begging for money. "Why don't you apply for a job? Try to go to school what so ever?", he asked her. "I know more than most people in my age and I also read more. You know what, maybe I should just go somewhere else. It's not your business what my name is nor who I am or what is happening to me. You're just a stranger, and also: you did not tell me your name either", She hated to be looked upon by others, so she stood up. Even though the man in front of her was still a lot taller than her. "My name's Skender. And I am here to help you" "You can't help me" "Of course I can, it is my job to help helpless young women like you are" "So you want to help me only because of my gender? And because you believe I am helpless? I frankly think that this isn't fair and that both statements are false. I can do whatever want, and I am probably stronger than most men on these streets and can definitely kill others better. If you aren't careful, you could become a victim of mine. You know, sometimes I lose my patience and the people in front of me are dead and notice it too late", she said, now angry. She could live her life perfectly, she didn't need anyone to help her. She would die with and without Skenders help. There was no way to cure her diesease, and she had accepted it. "It's true what they say: there really is a maledictus on the streets of Paris.", Skender stated. "A what?" "A maledictus. A person..." "A person that is possessed by a blood curse that will eventually lead to them transforming into an animal and unwillingly stay in their animal form. I know the definition of Maledictus, but why do you?", she said, because she was curious what he would answer. No one should know these words. There were some words in the wizarding world that only professors and victims of these curses should know. It was dangerous to know too much, she knew better than everyone. "Careful!", Skender screamed, and pushed her a side, a car almost crashed against them. She should have focused more on the streets than on to this unknown person. "You saved my life, I suppose? Don't believe I am thankful for that. Dying is better than being unable to speak and having to attack anyone around you.", she whispered, bitterly. Skender looked at the sky for a second and rolled his eyes at her. "This is why you should come in my circus. You are suicidal. And believe me, everything is better than death. I'll show you how to control yourself", he promised. She looked at him, he had saved her life, even though he knew her since about two minutes, he didn't hesitate to tell her that her life was worth the torture, the pain. And even though she wasn't sure why, she believed him. There was no cure, there was just control. Also, she had always wanted to work in a circus. A thought ran through her brain. "I want to be the enchanting snake girl. That's a good circus name, isn't it?" A second chance and it would probably change nothing, but just as Skender said, everything was better than death._

"Barebone, Modesty" Nothing. "Barebone, Modesty?!", it said louder. And on the floor, sitting next to Eulalie Hicks chair, was she. Eulalie had accepted her and now told, when asked, that she had adopted Modesty. No one knew that Modesty just had been there, that Eulalie firstly didn't want to adopt her. Lally had no time for a child, she was a young teacher and busy teaching. And still she liked Modesty even though Modesty had barely given Eulalie a choice, she got used to having an emphatic child around her. Luckily, Modesty had stopped singing the witch hunting song, because Lally thought that it was quite impolite to sing it in front of the other students. Modesty just came to Ilvermorny, because her intuition had told her to come here, because she wanted to live somewhere, where she did not have to fear for her life. She had heard a lot on the streets, she noticed wizards, even though others didn't. And even though she never wanted to study there, even though she never really considered a magical life, Ilvermorny accepted her.

It was the only reason why she and Eulalie ever argued. "But I don't have any magical abilities" "You're here now. You wouldn't be, if you didn't want to be a witch" "I wanted to be. But that was just a childish dream... I never thought I would have to study... Can't I just be your helper, I don't want to be the worst in the classes. I can't do anything what others can" "Modesty, first of all: dreams aren't childish. If you'd know the history of Ilvermorny, you would also know that dreams are what it is made of. If you believe in yourself, anything can come true. Our founder ran away from her stepmother, just like you did, and built something completely new, after the image of her biggest dream: she wanted to study at a wizarding school, and because her stepmother didn't let her go, she built her own. So don't tell me that you can't study just because you can't use a wand. You can see into peoples psyches, you understand rather than that you create. The magic is inside you and even though you don't share it with other people and even though you don't draw it out of yourself to make something work, you use it to learn something about the world around you. You are quite special, Modesty, and I won't allow you to suppress your magic like your former adopted brother did", Eulalie looked at her stiffly, and as always she made it clear that she wouldn't accept a no.


	22. Chapter 21- Grindelwalds plan

**Hello everybody. Hope you like the Story and I'd really appreciate getting Reviews, Hearing your opinion on my writing would be amazing.**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 21**

"Barebone, Modesty!", it came from in front of her. Insecurely, she stood up from the floor, after she crawled out from under the teachers table. She looked down at her blue school uniform (Ilvermornys colour was blue), which was covered in dust. Some students laughed at her, as she stood there, but Modesty stared at the four stone statues in front of her. One was a giant bird, a huge snake, an animal what seemed similar to a mountain lion and a kind of goblin creature. Eulalie had taught her the names of the house creatures: the thunderbird, the horned serpent, the wampus and the pukwudgie. She looked around, searching for the person that had called her. No one there. The teachers were all at the teachers table and watched her having absolutely no idea. She heard a student shout: "Is she a no-maj?" And another: "Don't listen to him, he's an idiot" Modesty turned around, staring at the people that had said these words. "It is quite inpolite to interrupt the sorting ceremony", the voice said again. Modesty was probably crazy. One of the statues spoke to her, the thunderbird. "So, let me see. You are a fascinating person, Modesty", said the bird. "I see a will to go against rules, which is quite interesting. You seem to have a heart, which is good", some students laughed but instantly went quiet, as they saw the sparkling eyes of the horned serpent staring at them as a warning. "I want her", the pukwudgie said directly. "Shut up, she is mine. I mean... Sorry, for the quite inpolite word choice, she should be sorted into my house", the thunderbird interrupted. "Don't fight about students, we don't want them to think we're a living freak show, which we kind of are, but they should respect us, so please behave in front of the kids", the horned serpent commented. "She belongs into my house, everyone. After everything, she did to get here, she should get the house she wants, but I tell you, she is destined to become one of my students" "Don't play her childhood against her" "She is a warrior, I'm telling you. And don't even try to change my mind in this. She knows what she wants and no one will hold her back from getting it. Wampus – proven", the wampus said. Than began a mess, every house sign began to talk, until the horned serpent said: "She should choose in which house she wants to go. Like we always do. So where do you belong, Modesty?" Modesty closed her eyes and saw, like every time. But this time, she looked into herself, not into herself. Was she really a rebell, was she really someone who got what they wanted. She thought back to her toy wand. She had hid it from Mary Lou, but it was one of hundred little acts of rebellion. You came all the way to Mount Greylock, by foot. You walked two days, ran through woods and climbed on a lot of mountains. I think we all know where you belong, she heard the voice of the wampus in her brain. "I choose Wampus", she said clearly. No one would stop her. And maybe her dream would really come true, if she chose to believe that she was unstoppable.

"So what is phase two of your plan?", Vinda asked him. Grindelwald almost laughed. "It is a secret part of the plan, I will tell you only if necessary. Sometimes it is better to not know things, Vinda" Meant that he hadn't really thought about it and even if he had, she should not care. She was just one f his acolytes, nothing special, she had only one purpose: to die when needed. But no one of the three knew why especially they had been chosen. "Every one of you will get a task. You won't tell anybody from this task, not even your friends, family or other acolytes. Not even each other. This task is important, really important for all of us. This is why I chose you three to be my first mates, you are the only ones able, strong enough to fulfill this task. There are rules for the tasks: you have to try your best, to prove that you really would do anything for the greater good. Because if you don't, the world as we want it to be, it is not going to become what we want it to. Believing in a cause is important, but hard work is as important if not more important. So, first, I will tell Vinda her task, because she seems so curious to know", he said. They didn't know how stupid they were, they had no idea how genius his plan was. They didn't know. And it made him feel better, they would not ruin his world. No one could stand in his way, except himself.

Was he really going crazy? Grindelwald had promised to bring back his son, there was nothing else he wanted in his life. And if he wanted to get Corvus the fifth back, he would have to work for him. Corvus didn't trust Grindelwald, he knew that it was probably a trap. But desperate people do desperate things to be less desperate. As he heard his task, he almost ran away. Grindelwald knew how to control him, he would never let go of him as his toy. And he ran into the trap. "Sir, I can't do this. I am not able to... You know, I never could" "Be quiet, Corvus. This is the last chance you'll get" He was such a traitor. He was a traitor to everything he did in his life, everything he ever wanted. But Grindelwald said that he was his best acolyte and that it was a great honor to do this. It was more like torture to him. Leta. Why did it have to be Leta? But he swore to sacrifice everything to get his son back, even if it meant kidnapping Leta.

Vinda knew that she would be able to do this, just like Grindelwald told her. She had learned a lot in her life in her life as auror, mostly that feelings and relationships destroyed everything you try to build up. She did not need to search for long, until she found her. In front of a bakery, daydreaming and talking to a boy. And as she saw him, she realized that it would be a bit harder than expected. It was Corvus, the baby of Corvus the fourth, she had been the person he had asked. She had the idea to go to a seer. The obscurial. Vinda knew these pathetic dark brown eyes, as if she would help him. Another thing she had learned as an auror: you have to be brutal and you shouldn't care about what other people said about you. And she had learned a lot from Grindelwald. So she smiled charmingly and waved at the two people. Credence did not notice her, he just stared at the croissant in his hands. He wouldn't look as happy as he did now, when Vinda was finished with him. "Good to see you. How are you, Credence. Haven't seen you in a long time, I must say. And Queenie, oh gosh, Queenie, remember the time when we went shopping and met Madam Picquery. Oh, the good old times", she knew that it confused people most to be recognized by strangers. So was Credence. But Queenie looked at her and was about to curse her. Vinda knew that the girl was a legilimens, so she casted the imperio curse. It was easy for her, after the years in shame with the aurors. She was the best of the three, just like Grindelwald had confessed to her, and she would finish the job without any consequences. At least that was what she thought.

"Hey Newt" "Sorrry?", he murmered, he was too focused, somewhere else. Somewhere were only obscurials and darkness existed. "I said: don't worry about it, We can do won't win. And when he does, we'll worry about that if it happens" Newt turned around and let go of his thoughts about obscurials. It was Tina, she smiled at him."Well... How are you nowadays? I've finally finished your book and I loved it. It was really interesting, I think I understand you better now", she said. Tinas smile was Newts second favorite thing in the world, after dragons of course. She did not smile often, but when she did, it reminded him of the stars. The stars couldn't shine without darkness. "You don't know how muh it means to me that people read my books. Maybe they all will relate to it a bit, maybe they will understand some day. Nobody is really bad, you know. Not even Grindelwald. You don't ask to be changed. The world, the time changes people. And you are someone else, you believe in different things, because of the way your experiences shaped you", he confessed. He had never told anyone how much he needed this. Every day, he was so full of doubt that he would not change anything ever. But Tina understood, and Tinas opinion was the most important to him. It made him feel so much better, to know that she knew why he was such a strange human, why he loved these creatures so much. He couldn't explain how much she meant to him, he would probably be able to. But it was a good start. He realized that he was smiling, his awkward smile, no one else smiled as weird as him. Newt had wanted to add something, but did not. Instead, Tina said it, carefully and avoiding his eyes while talking. "You say these things because of Leta, don't you?", her words were nothing more than a whisper in the wind, but they made Newts smile fade as quick as if she had screamed. "Leta? Leta Lestrange doesn't matter to me anymore. There are so many great people in my life, and she has found many great people too. I am happy for her, now that she is engaged to Theseus, and she found Credence. I didn't realize that he was her brother, I should have, but now she knows him and he means the world to her. She deserves to be happy, but I deserve the same. I guess, some things are meant to be, others are meant to break, to burn in flames and destroy everything around them. Leta is my past, and she has done things, things that changed me and made me the person I am now. It weren't always good things, but they made me a better person. A person living a life without depending on others. Umm... But... I mean... Anyway, thank you, Tina", Newt stuttered. He hated his stuttering sometimes, it wasn't just because he was nervous, but it was, because there were so many words and thoughts in his head that all wanted to be said. Tina took a deep breath and smiled, brighter than usual and victoriously. Her beautiful brown eyes smiled with her. "Thank you too, Newt" "For what?" "Being yourself. You make me believe that not every person in the world is bad", Tina confessed. Why did her words make him feel so much better? Why did his heart beat so fast? He didn't care about the potential war, he did not care about Grindelwald, nor about Leta. Honestly, he couldn't care less about Leta Lestrange at this moment. You need a giver. Tina gave him more than he needed, but he wouldn't let go. He did not want to lose her, not even the smallest piece of her smile that brightened up the darkness in which they were all caught in these times.

They didn't notice Krall, as he came. The second phase of Grindelwalds plan had begun.

"What do you mean? You clearly aren't Grindelwalds best follower and if you were, you wouldn't kidnap a minor and your own daughter, would you? He's just trying to control you. It has nothing to do with you as a person, it's just Grindelwalds personality. You see, that there is no need to hold us here anymore, of course?", Malena looked at Corvus Lestrange, Credence father, while she was shaking. He looked exactly like him. "Don't you know the wizarding law, made just ten years ago, law number 37.17? Minors have the right to kill their kidnappers, if threatened with unforgivable curses, and will use it. I know I shouldn't be able to speak right now. But you can't tame me like your daughter. I am cursed, do you really believe my life gets any worse when you cast Imperio on me? You can't break someone who's already broken. Let me and Leta go, and you will survive. If you don't and if you still try to curse us, or even use Avada Kedavra... You should know that a seer once told me that people that kill their own children and let them be tortured by their adoptive mother aren't better people than serial killers. And she said that I will send someone to hell for doing these things to me and the only person that really matters to me", she whispered dramatically. It worked, it always worked. Corvus seemed too confused to cast the Imperio on Mal and Leta any longer. Malena had tried to stand the Imperio curse often enough, Skender had taught her a lot of things since she came to the circus. There was always a slight chance of getting tortured. But she wasn't strong enough, she couldn't resist against it for longer than a few minutes. "Run", she whispered in Letas direction. Corvus had her wand, and none of them could move right now. Mal closed her eyes and the snake inside was there. Faster than usual, but welcomed by her. That was the point where she lost control and only saw herself doing the things she did. She would have killed Corvus Lestrange in less than ten seconds, if there hadn't been Vinda, who ran into their direction, her wand drawn, hate in her eyes. She pushed Credence and Queenie with her. Mal could see the surprise in Corvus eyes. "Son!", he whispered, tears in his eyes, and walked with open arms to Credence. Credence was surprised but scared, he remembered everything, truly everything this person had done to him. "I love you, you may not believe me, but I do", he whispered. Avada Kedavra. Malena didn't need to hear the words out of Vindas mouth, the green lightning was enough. Just a heartbeat and Corvus dead body on the stone streets of Paris. And Vindas laugh. "Grindelwald was right, I am. I am the best" The worst of all was that it wasn't the laugh of a maniac, it sounded like a real, normal laugh. Death is always described as dramatic and heartbreaking and with a crazy murderer. Vinda was no psychopath. She was just a person with the wrong beliefs and the willingness to fulfill Grindelwalds task. But still, Vinda Rosier was a murderer. Leta did not cry as she saw her dad dying. Nor did Credence. But all the hate and the anger and the fear and the love they both had for their father now turned against someone else. Vinda didn't realize the surrounding darkness, neither that Leta took her wand from the dusty street, where it dropped as her father fell. This time Mal couldn't stop Credence from using his ability, and even if she could, she did not want to hold him back this time. "Why did you kill my father? He was your best friend", Leta said, the bitterness in her voice echoed through the street. "Don't question the Greater good, sweetie. He sacrificed himself for it, if anyone asked. I just did what I was told to, and no one will be there to tell the real story. Because by then you all will be either dead or imprisoned and a Greater good will rule the world", Vinda said, convinced by everything she had heard in her life. She really believed this nonsense. "You can't kill us if we kill you first", Credence whispered, and Mal thought for a second that the darkness inside him was also inside his voice. Queenie had been in the background a long time and only Mal, which everyone ignored, as if she didn't just turn into a snake and back, saw her. Queenie was free from the ropes around her body, and stood next to Vinda, surprisingly smiling, before she began to speak, with a high voice, full of acted out fear. "We have to follow her orders, she will kill us if we don't. We have to, don't you understand? It is the only way to survive. Grindelwalds plan is the only thing left to save us", she said and rolled her eyes hardly into the back of her head, as if she had just been possessed by a demon. "Grindelwalds plan?", Vinda asked, "How do you know about it?" "A little birdie told me", Queenie said, before she fainted. Mal had to catch her, and she saw that Queenie was holding back her laugh. If only she could have read Queenies thoughts, then she would have known what would happen next.


	23. Chapter 22 - Jacob gets the elder wand

**Hope you enjoy the Story,**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 22**

"Don't take the case! I'll do anything for you, if you just don't harm my creatures", Newt shouted. Tina knew that it couldn't work, every time he said these words, someone took his case. But she hadn't seen this acolyte either. Tina had heard of Corvus Lestrange the fourth, Vinda Rosier and a fiew others, but never had she heard of person called Krall. "Why should I believe you? You will just run away if I let you keep the case", he said, with a calm and bored voice. "Why is your name Krall?", Tina said the thought that ran through her mind, and regretted it instantly. "It's because of my family. Aren't all names like that?", he said, avoiding her and Newt. As if he didn't like the idea of kidnapping them, but he still had to do it. "I am sorry, umm, but did you know a woman called Selene? You remind me a bit of her, especially your eyes and your haircolour and your overall behavior", Newt stuttered. Krall lifted one eyebrow in surprise. But Tina had worked as an auror long enough to know when someone was hiding something. "She was your mother, right?", Newt whispered calmly. He spoke in a tone similar as to what he sounded like talking to his creatures. "I have a task to finish. You won't come into my way", Krall said. With a wink of his hand, ropes wrapped around them, their wands fell out of their hands and air pushed Tina and Newt after him. "Selene sacrificed too much, I won't let her sacrifice be worthless. There will be a time when you will understand, but there are things I have to do before telling you the truth", was the last thing Krall said to them, before he disapparated, Tina and Newt had to follow him.

Jacob woke up like every other morning before. He stood up, looked around himself and thought: IT IS REAL! But this time, there was no Newt nor his suit case next to him. He walked down the stairs and everything seemed lost, abandoned, as if he was living in his own nightmares. Jacob shouted Newts name, he looked everywhere for Queenie and hoped that Tina would turn up in a corner, with two hotdogs in her hands. Nothing happened. Nicholas Flamel wasn't there either, nor his wife and Dumbledore was also gone. This couldn't be real. Someone had kidnapped his friends and he wouldn't let that happen. Jacob tried to make a plan, but he had to eat the left crossaint on the breakfast table first. It reminded him of Leta. Leta Lestrange loved crossaints, she wouldn't let anyone steal her crossaint. _Except Grindelwald_. Grindelwald had kidnapped them, and forgotten to take him. Because he was a muggle. Normally, he hated having no wand nor magic, but now it was finally useful. Jacob thought about it. He would have to make a plan, something that would work, because if it didn't, he would never see his friends again. Where would Grindelwald be? The last time they had seen him had been in the catacombs of Paris. He would search there first. But he wouldn't be able to do it alone. Jaob would need a team, and he did not have to think about it long, to find the perfect crew.

"Get out of the way, Vinda. It is my job to bring them to Grindelwald. You will be rewarded afterwards", Krall commanded. Vinda rolled her eyes at him and her quite pretty face became angry and willing to do everything. "Don't try to play first mate again, you know that I am better than you an that you don't have any control over me. I am the best follower of Grindelwald, he, the master himself, told me. I will bring them to Grindelwald and if you don't surrender, you die", she said. Krall laughed at her, he knew that she hated when he laughed at her as if he was superior to her, that was why he did it. "You do realize that he told the same things to all of us, expecting us to kill eachother? And you know what? He will get what he wants, because he always gets what he wants. _Avada Kedavra_ ", he yelled, his wand drawn. Vinda shouted back, but eventhough she tried as hard as she could, even though she fought with her whole soul, because she knew that hate was a better motivator than love to her, Krall was still better than her. Krall just moved his wand a little, and her corpse disappeared, as if she had never existed. He knew that Newt, Tina, Malena, Credence, Queenie and Leta were shocked by the brutality in his words, in his gestures. Krall knew that most people thought of him as a friendly human who helped old ladies over streets and gave all his money to the homeless. He tried to be. But there was still a wolf in him, and with every death, with every person he killed, he took revenge for every member of his family. There was only one thing left to do. Dumbledore would be proud of him.

In the real world, clues wouldn't fall from the sky. Luckily the wizarding world wasn't the real world. Jacob had no idea how it happened, but he was on his way to the circus arcanus, after having searched through the catacombs, which were completely empty. Only some lonely no-majs like him walked through them. Jacob didn't like the idea of waklng through the graves of thousands of unknown people, he didn't find it fascinating like the most muggles there did. It was dark and the other people there, were also running through the dark. Then, he finally found the way out of the catacombs, he thought of the people he knew that could help him find the others. But as he reached the circus, something hit him on the head. He cursed for a moment, because it hurt really bad, until he thought about what happened. Jacob looked around, and in his head landed a little paper. On the paper was written an adress, in a beautiful handwriting, and in the last line: from an unknown friend. It seemed too good to him, it was too easy. It shouldn't be that easy, should it? As Jacob walked into the circus, he noticed that it was not as colourful as usual. A strange sadness surrounded the tents and after waiting a fiew minutes, he found out why. Skender welcomed him, but his usual smile was nonexisting. "Good that you're here, Jacob. Do you know what happened to Credence and Mal? They said that they would search for a cure but return to us in a fiew days. I've waited for them a week and they're still not there? Did something happen? I had to cancel all performances, because our two artists were missing", he said sadly. Normally, Skender made everybody smile, he was a kind of person that you just had to hug. To see him so worried made Jacob feel the same way as he had this morning, as he noticed that Newt was gone. "I believe that they all got kidnapped by Grindelwald", he informed Skender. The name Grindewald threw a shadow on his face. "Haven't you heard about wizards and muggles dying and disappearing in the last week? Our news papers say that aurors from all of the world are trying their best to catch Grindelwald. Unsucessfully. And now Credence and Malena... We have to find them", Skender said. Jacob agreed with him. Skender would do anything he could do sos he would get their friends back, even if that meant getting all of his circus members to team up.

"Krall. I expected you two minutes early, but you know, we all have our flaws", Grindelwald smiled at him. His teeth reminded Krall of a shark, but not in a good way. He should have let them run away, he should have sacrificed himself for them, but the plan was more important. Grindelwald should think that he could trust him. But as he had seen what waited at Grindelwalds side, he knew what big mistake he had made. "Dementors? You don't really- I mean, do you really believe that this is the way to deal with them?", Krall murmered, almost hoping that Grindelwald wouldn't hear him. But he did. "I may not be able to control non magic with fear, but I definetely believe that it is the right method to conrol these wizards and witches", he smiled. He did not smile at Krall, nor at the now imprisoned behind him. He smiled at the silver form of a phoenix, which was formed by magic coming out of Grindelwalds wand. Krall was scared. There was nothing he hated more than dementors. But Grindelwald didn't seem to be bothered by them, his patronus flew around him and every time his feathers touched Grindelwalds skin, he began to smile. Krall would have never believed himself that the dark wizard could produce a patronus. Most dark wizards found no reason to be truly happy, most found happiness in torturing others or death. But why was Grindelwald able to do so?

Jacob knocked down the door, Spielman, Skender, Brutus the demon and the others behind him, all ready to kill. The last thing he heard Grindelwald say was: "So, who wants to be first? You can choose between joining the greater good or facing your darkest secrets and biggest fears. I won't let them suck the soulf out of you now, you are all to useful to be killed or worse. For now. And you may ask yourself why I have the ability to do so. You know, a powerful patronus is able to do a lot of things to dementors", he whispered. Jacob hated whispering, it meant lies to him. He tried to speak as loud as possible, tried to seem confident. "Hands up, everyone. I have a gun and you all will surrender. Magic is no weapon against guns, you can try as much as you want. I could kill someone as an example, but I am not a person for unnecessary violence. So hands up, wands on the floor. Or I'll shoot you and believe me I have enough reasons to shoot people", he said, sweat running down his neck. He did not know what he was saying. But he had often enough read books and movies (his mother always went into the cinema with him, as it was still quite new and great) about heroes and heroes did not sweat in the surface of evil. He held the fakegun in his hands higher and pointed to the wand in Grindelwalds left hand. "Drop it on the floor. Slowly. Come back up, don't try to pull something on me, defense is useless.", he watched Grindelwald, visibly confused, putting his wand down. Jacob smiled, like the heroes in these action movies always did, as he took the strangely looking wand from the stone floor. One of his all time wishes had come true: he now had a wand. But he handed it to Skender, who knew better how to use it. Then he checked Grindelwald, who stood there with his hands in the air, like all the others. Everything was fine, until he saw the wand in the hand of the person standing next to Grindelwald. "You there. Wand down", he whispered, and as Krall dropped his wand, Jacob finaly noticed that the silverdusty form of a phoenix did no longer hold back the dementors. It was probably too late now. Jacob gave his friends, after Skender had loosened the ropes around them, back the only wand that was still here, the others were probably hidden by Grindelwald. But they had no time to search for them. So Newt got his wand back. "Can you cast a strong patronus?", Skender shouted, fear in his voice. The dementors came nearer and nearer nd everyone in this room was scared, everyone felt the desire to scream or cry. Newt was insecure, awkward, and scared of doing it wrong, but he nodded. "I... I learned it from Dumbledore once, but that was long ago. I hope I can still do it", he murmered. Grindelwald lifted both of his eyebrows in confusion, and somehow anger. "Please Newt, you can do it.", Leta said. Jacob was still pointing the gun at Grindelwald. It was tempting to give him his wand back and to let him cast his patronus again, but they had to get away from here and that would only work if Newt casted his patronus, so they could run. There was still a chance of Grindelwald manipulating so he could kill them. "Expecto Patronum!", Newt shouted. Suddenly, everything went fast. Skender dropped the wand on the floor, as far away from Grindelwald as possible, but he wasn't cruel enough to let him stay with the dementors without a wand, even though they later found out that Grindelwald didn't need a wand to cast magic. A silver animal came out of Newts wand, but Jacob was too busy trying to shut the fear out of him, so he couldn't see. He slowly realized, that he would never be happy again. These creatures made him see the bad sides of his life and he couldn't do anything against it. He shouldn't be able to see them, he later found out. But maybe it was because of the wand he had held in his hands, that he could see them, or because of something else, which he wasn't sure about. The last thing he could see, before Queenie took his arm and made him run away from the dementors and out of the building, was Grindelwald, who, as Newts patronus faded, began to cast a new one. If there had not been the dementors, he would have probably catched them, but his life was more important than them escaping right now. As they finally came out, Skender helped them on the dragons, and flew with them. They had to get away from Grindelwald, to a place where they were safe. Jacob had no idea where to go, but apparently, someone else did.


	24. Chapter 23 - woolen socks secrets

**Hello everybody. This chapter involves a Flashback, which I wrote after the first Trailer dropped and it was revealed to us that Dumbledore sees None other than Grindelwald in the mirror of Erised, not woolen socks like Harry. But maybe Dumbledore didn't really lie at all.**

 **Hope you like it,**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 23**

 _"Happy Birthday, Albus!" "Hey, it's probably midnight or later, what are you doing here?", Albus hissed. "Celebrating your birthday, Al. It's currently midnight, as you were smart enough to notice, which means your birthday begins now", Gellert smiled and it seemed as if his smile brightened up the dark room. "How did you even get in to my room? Umm – I don't even want to know. All that matters is that you're here now. I don't know any other person I'd rather celebrate my birthday with", he confessed, as he casted Lumos. "I've got presents for you. One from Aunt Bathilda and one from me" "Neither of you had to give me something. I'm fine with knowing you and grateful that Bathilda made you meet me. That's enough, I don't need presents, I have got everything I want already", Albus said. Gellert lifted both of his eyebrows. Albus had no idea why half of their communication was whispering and the other half was facial expressions. "You know, maybe you've got everything you want and I don't", he whispered, and it felt as if he was trying to just move his lips, so Albus had to listen to every single word. "Then it is a present for you and not for me", he whispered, as silent as Gellert had. "Kind of. It's more of a selfish present really", Gellert commented, while he handed Albus a big package, which was wrapped in red gift-wrap-paper and with a huge bow around it. "Open it. Bathilda actually wanted them to be your gift for Christmas. But you know, she believes that we always have minus degrees, where I live. So she said, if you'd ever want to meet me at home, you'd need those", Gellert laughed, as Albus unpacked the gift and saw a pair of thick woolen socks. "Well, thanks.", he said, truly the english gentleman. "I don't want you to go, you know", Albus continued. Gellert nodded. "I don't want to go either. But when I go, I want you to have something to remember. That's my gift", Gellert said, the smile in his face faded slowly, just the look in his eyes stayed. Albus did not know how long they sat on his carpet and looked at eachother. He did not want this summer to end, he did not want Grindelwald to go. Albus corrected himself. He did not want Gellert to go. There was too much that connected them, more than any reason why they had to be apart. Gellert was the only person that really knew him, the only person that understood how much he wanted Ariana to be okay, how worried he was about Aberforth being lonely. But there was one thing he wanted more than anything else. Just one second, just the blinking of one silver and one brown eye. "I want you to remember me", Gellert whispered. And then he kissed him. No, Albus Dumbledore would never forget this day, just like he would never forget the person in front of him._

Theseus was a hero. Everyone said that, even his family, his future wife and people on the streets. But he did not feel like one, as he apparated, as he heard that his brother had to save his wife, because he had to beg the minister so he could be chosen for the auror team to hunt Grindelwald down. Finally, as he was accepted, he reached Paris. But Leta was gone, and so was Newt. Why was he always at the right place to the wrong time? He should have listened to Newt weeks ago, he should have taken Leta with him. He shouldn't be here alone, he should not wish to be somewhere else. He felt his bones shaking, when he just thought about what could have happened to Leta. There was no reason to worry, there had never been. Leta could defend herself. But Grindelwald did not fight against people. Grindelwald had never ever been challenged to a duel, no one had been brave enough to do so. Gellert Grindelwalds favorite weapon was not a wand. He did not need anything but his own tongue, and tthere were more than just a fiew people in the world that loved him for the things he said, as well as those who wanted to cut his tongue into quarters and wanted to hang it into their living rooms. Theseus was neither the first nor the second category. He also had the opinion that people couldn' be sorted into categories. Theseus did not think that he was a hero. A war hero. In war, you did not think of yourself as a hero. It did not matter if you killed a hundred or no one, the others would kill you no matter what. The only thing that mattered was to survive. Gladly, he was as good in duelling as his brother was with his creatures. Grindelwald was just a dictator, the same as many before. Heroes and villains, all the same. Theseus did not like books. They made you think that people were different, just because they had different titles and names. People were different because of their soul, their heart. What difference did it make if someone was a Lestrange and another was a Scamander? He did not understand the pureblood superiority mania, which Grindelwald wanted. Leta was the best friend of his brother, and for a long time he forbid himself to even say her name. Theseus might not believe that Grindelwald could sort people into categories. But he definetely believed that life had rules. Rules that had to be followed, not because he liked rules – he hated them – but because they told you what the real good meant in the world. To be good did not mean to be a hero, hero was relative. Heroes and villains – in the end titles were just lies. Grindelwald had told the wizengamot that he had seen in his vision that he had to rule the world. Of course. Theseus did not believe words, he believed in experiences. It doesn't matter if someone tells you they love you, if they don't mean it. And you feel it if they really mean it. Grindelwald could manipulate the whole world, but he would not manipulate him. He could decide between the truth and lies in a second – he learned it as fast as he met Leta. She did not want to talk about her father, because he lied to her and she lied to him. But she was honest to him. Grindelwald could lie as much he wanted, his tongue could tell lies, because it had learned it, But your body language did not lie. This was the reason why he had to help Newt – because Newt was a believer, he wanted to believe in the good. Theseus knew that chaos did not make anything better, nor did violence. Wars did not solve problems, they just made more. Newt tend to believe in good humans, but Theseus knew that people were not good or bad, not black or white. Everyone lived in his own shade of grey. Just like the man that turned up out of the shadows, directly in front of him. He smiled at him and Theseus said, calm and serious: "Grimmson, finally"

"Do you really think this is a good idea?", Tina said nervously. "Umm... I don't know. Probably not. But its the only chance we have, so we should try", Newt commented, as he opened his case. "Oh, now I know why you have all these beasts in your case. You know, sometimes it is best to think before doing things", was her opinon. "Yeah. But sometimes isn't now. Trust me, Tina", Newt said. Too many thoughts in his brain, too many things to say, but still this was the only thing he was able to say. "Every time I trust you, we end up either kidnapped or someone dies" "Or free" "I can't argue with you, Newt", Tina smiled at him, while he made space for Leta, who was the only one except Queenie and Jacob who already had an idea on how to encounter the case. Or maybe Tina just imagined that. Leta couldn't possibly ever seen his case before, could she? Or maybe she was just stupidly brave. "I don't know if that is a good or a bad thing for you. I – I personally enjoy discussing my opinons with you", he said. Tina looked at him for a second, but avoided his eyes as the moment was over. She slowly climbed into the suitcase and helped Credence and Malena into it. The circus said goodbye and they took their dragons with them. And witth the dragons, they took the suitcase with herself in it. Tina tried to take some time for herself, she wanted to think. There were too many things she had to think about. But the most impoortant was that Newt had her patronus. She did not sleep nights over nights and the only thing on her mind had been this socally awkard wizard, the one with the suitcase full of beasts and a picture on his desk and his heart. She had told herself that she shouldn't hold onto him, he was clearly in love with Leta Lestrange. But after finding out that Leta wanted to marry Theseus and after Leta told her that she wanted to let go, her heart did not listen to her anymore. There was a strange happiness in her soul, it flooded her brain with adrenaline and the stone that laid on heer heart was finally gone. Newt had her patronus. But then she finally realized that he did not. And that it was more than just him being in love with her. They did not have the same patronus, their patronuse were the same species, male and female. Her mother had once told her a story about a witch and a wizard, whose families hated eachother. It was actually Romeoe and Juliet, but with more patronusses and pureblood racism. The moral of the story was that some people have the luck to meet theeir soulmates in their live, and if they do, their patronus take the form of the same species. United – in life and in magic. As she saw Newt again, she smiled at him. He was not like other people, he was not normal. Not even for a wizard. He was Newt Scamander, with all his awkwardness and all the strange things he did, with all his beliefs and all the things he stood for. And Tina loved him more than anybody else in this world.

"How much?", Theseus asked. "As much as it takes to hunt him down, if you understand what I mean" "I give you information and you bring me what I want" "First the information", Grimmson decided. Theseus knew what he was going to do: Grimmson would take the information and run away with it. He had worked with too many hunters like him before. "You'll hunt him down as fast as possible. If not, no money, no more information", Theseus said harshly. "So what is the information?", Grimmson asked curiously. He rolled his eyes at him, "The information is... You know what, maybe I shouldn't tell you", he said, calmly. In his head, he was smiling. "I'll do anything, please tell me", he begged. Theseus was truly smiling in this moment. Victory. "The information is... There is a dangerous person in the circus Arcanus. His name is Credence Barebone and if you don't find my brother, he will destroy us all" "Does this mean you get money if you find this Credence?", Grimmson whispered, one of his eyebrows almost disappeared under his hat. "Probably. I don't know. We'll talk about the money when you find Newt", Theseus decided. Sometimes he had the feeling that most people were manipulative. This was how it had to feel to be Gellert Grindelwald. Grimmson was one of the bounty hunters he had sent out to search for Newt. None of them would give him information, he knew about that. They wanted to get the money for Credence, now that they knew. Grindelwald was wrong. Muggles weren't ignorent, and even if they were, then wizards were more ignorant. Credence wouldn't tolerate anyone trying to catch him. Not Grindelwald, not anyone else. Theseus would be the only one able to catch Grindelwald, together with Newt. Every other auror was busy trying to find out about the obscurial – which was useless, obscurials couldn't be killed easily. They all made the mistake to concentrate too much on other things, things Grindelwald could use, people Grindelwald wanted to kidnapp. But Theseus had learned, after he kidnapped Leta, that hunting down Grindelwald had to be a priority and that they could deal with the rest afterwards.

 _I will save you, Malena. I will save you from your fate, I can save you from the snake inside you. Just listen._ "I don't want to listen!", she screamed, trying to run against the walls around her. But instead of fading, they just came closer to her. "I won't give up! You cannot save me, Grindelwald. No one can! So don't try to manipulate me, as if it would help me! I accepted my own death, my own fate. But you don't seem to do so. You will never win, you can't win. You see it yourself, you won't win. Don't try to fight against it, don't try to manipulate yourself.", she whispered. _Liar. Liar. Liar. You are too scared of death, Malena. Do you really believe that you can lie to me? You are nothing. You are nothing but your own lies, your own snake skin. They don't know, do they? You are nothing but your own fear and don't expect me to not use it against you. Malena, don't they know about your curse? You should have told them but you didn't. The only reason why you accept the curse is because it is your own fault. Tell them and you'll be free. That's the only thing I'll tell you._ She hated Grindelwald more than she hated herself, more than she hated the curse. Just because he always thought he could manipulate her. And Malena really was scared, scared of giving in to the things he said.

Queenie kissed him, she did not say anything, she just ran into his direction as she saw him and kissed him. "You are alive", she whispered into his hair, her arms wrapped around his neck. Jacob had missed her, missed her every second, even as he didn't remember her, even at the time where he had thought it all had been a dream. But she was here and that was all that mattered. Queenie couldn't say anything and neither could Javob. Ords couldn't express his feelings. Luckily, she could read his mind. Jacob had never seen Queenies ability as a curse, he never had wanted her to stop doing it to him. For him, it was a part of her and he accepted her as she was. And she accepted him. He loved Queenie, no matter what other people said, and he was lucky that she loved him the same way. "You saved my life", she said, a bright smile on her lips. And that was all Jacob ever needed in his life.


	25. Chapter 24 - I don't do sides

**Hello everybody. I wish you a great time and hope you enjoy the Story!**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 24**

You know, there is a way. Queenie did not want to listen anymore, she tried to hide herself under her bed, tried to put her hands on her ears to shut him out, but Grindelwald wasn't to be shut out easily. "I don't need your ways!", she said loudly. Oh, you need me more than anyone. More than Credence, more than your sister or Newt. Even more Leta Lestrange, and trust me that girl has a tragic history, but you should know that. "What do you want from me?", she tried to say with confidence. What came out of her mouth was just a sad whisper, a shadow of her voice. I want to help you. All muggles are ignorant, but your... lover... has a special talent of seeing things he shouldn't see. You know what I think of the non magic folk, Queenie. But there is a way that he can survive. Queenie no longer tried to close her eyes. Everything she had ever tried to block her own mind from others, did not work now. She could not stop Grindelwald from coming into her head, so maybe she should try it the other way around. She tried to read his mind, but it was as if she was running against a wall. Something like this shouldn't happen to her. She was a legilimens, no one and nothing should be able to stop her. But Grindelwald did. Not just with his barriers in his mind, but with his words too. You can't stop me. You're just a little girl against an army of millions. Either you take my offer or you'll go down with the rest of your crew. And you will only go down, but Jacob will definitely be dead. I mean, now that I know that he is the only person you love more than you love your sister, he's not as safe as he used to be. He won't be your hero anymore, just one of thousand sacrifices for the greater good. Trust me, there are hundreds of wizards that could replace him. But it's your decision, not mine. Grindelwalds voice almost screamed into her brain. And then, suddenly, he was gone. Gone and nothing had changed, she was sleeping in a tent in Newts suit case, with a camping bed in the middle, and there was no one that wanted to threaten her. It still had been real, and she realized that she would soon have to make a decision.

"You want me to do what? Why do you think I could — as if I could be able to do what a team of trained aurors can't do? Theseus, I don't think... You want me to help you hunt him down? I am not a hero, I am not good in magic, I have my creatures and that is all I can do", Newt tried to explain to his brother. Theseus rolled his eyes, the same eyes as Newts, like he always did. The same face, as if not everything had changed around them. As if a lot of things had not happened, as if it could ever be like it had been before he proposed to Leta. The bitterness of then came back into Newts mind, but he reminded himself that anger did not solve any problems. Theseus was his brother and a brother was someone he needed more than anyone else in these times. He had missed Theseus for too long, and he should be happy that he finally was there. But he couldn't. Newt couldn't accept that his brother only came when he needed him, as if he did not feel the same strange mix out of sadness, anger and desperateness. As if Newt did not matter to him. Theseus had always kept his feeling to himself, or maybe he just had not wanted to share them with Newt. Leta had told Newt, that she had changed him a little. That he would now be a little warmer. But not to his brother. Theseus would do anything in the world to save his career as an auror. It was everything he had ever worked for, it was his life, and he would not give it up just because of a little Grindelwald attack. And Newt was sure that he wasn't here because of him but because of the wizarding world. "Newt don't lie to me. You know that you have to help me. If you don't want to do it because of me, do it for Leta, do it for your creatures, for the other wizards, anything that means something to you. When Grindelwald begins a war, we will all have to fight again. No one wants another war, just so you know. Nobody has the wish to fight again, to kill again. And the only thing to get what we want is you and I together. You may not like the idea to fight together with me, but still we have to. Do it for Leta", he whispered. Newt rolled his eyes again, just like his brother had done it. What Theseus could, he could do as well. "So you say that I don't want to do this? I don't have a problem with you Theseus, but you seem to avoid me whenever you can. Is it because you think you could hurt my feelings? Trust me, there is nothing left to hurt, if you talk about Leta. I have forgotten and forgiven everything, but you still don't seem to be over the old times. And that I defeated Grindelwald why you had nothing else to do but fall in love with my former best friend", all stutter had disappeared from Newts voice, but for once he wasn't happy about it. Newt had to think about it again and again. Was he really able to go this far? No, he wasn't. But as he was able to speak again, he tried to speak in a more forgivable tone, because he really had forgiven his brother, even though he did not seem to have not forgiven him. "I'm sorry, Theseus. I apologize for everything I just said, it isn't as if I did not ant to work with you. I missed you, I missed you a lot. I thought you would never show up again and I didn't... Let's say I didn't imagine our reunion like this. I know how much the world and your job as an auror means to you and I didn't mean to hurt you... You know that stuff. I'd love to fight next to you, Theseus, if you don't mind", he said, almost whispering. He shouldn't have said the words inside his head before, but at least Theseus now understood him better. "Newt, you are a great human. And I missed you too and I didn't want to leave you alone, you're still my brother So it's good to be back again, it's good that you're here and that we can do this together", Theseus decided, after looking at Newt for a fiew seconds, as if his brother did not just talk all the anger out of himself and then apologized for about a hundred times. Theseus pointed at the two drinking glasses on the table in front of them. He lifted his one, and Newt did the same, and they both said, as if they were celebrating: "For the old times"

Tina. I've missed you. Tina never wanted to hear Grindelwalds voice again, but there he was, in her dreams, talking to her. "Don't say my name like that", she tried to say, while searching this weird grey room after something that could tell her where Grindelwald was. Like what. Like I mean it. You know best that I mean what I say. From everyone out of your group, I would least like to see your death. I'll admit, you've grown on me. "Go away!" You can't shush me away, as if I was a street dog. From all of you, I would have expected you to give up first, just because you don't want to. "How would you know about it?" I know almost everything, my dear. Tina had learnt a lot about Grindelwalds methods, and she thought that she might have found out his weakness. "Why only almost?" Nobody knows everything and it would be foolish to think that I could. But there are some things that I know. For example your theory about you and this Scamander boy being soulmates... You don't know anything about soulmates, do you? And nothing about the origins of your patronus, no you don't even know what the form of your patronus means. I could help you, in so many ways, Tina. You could know more than your little brain could dream of. But I know you aren't interested in wisdom, Porpentina. You want more than just that. All your dreams... They could become true. I know you are great. You have everything it needs to become minister for magic, but still you stand in the shadows of Miss Picquery, who doesn't see your willingness to do so much for your job. And you and Newt... You two like each other. But still, nothing happens. You need too many opportunities in your life, Tina. You have got the ability, you've got the brain to do greatness in this world, but rules stand in your way. You know, you and I are a lot a like. This is why I've always liked you. All you need is a chance to prove yourself. And this is what I offer you, Tina Goldstein. Just an opportunity to show what you truly can be. Tina tried to build a wall around herself, around her soul. She shouldn't listen to him, she shouldn't want all these things. But she couldn't change herself. That was what Grindelwald was doing with all of them: He was using their weaknesses to his advantage. Everyone had secrets, everyone wanted something. Grindelwald was right, she needed an opportunity, more than anything else. And suddenly, in this grey room, where ever it was, stood Gellert Grindelwald. He offered her his hand, to make a trade. And Tina, Tina knew that this was all she ever wanted. Even though it was the wrong way, even though she shouldn't want this after all what Grindelwald had done.

"Tina!", a familiar voice shouted into her ear. As she opened her eyes, the grey room faded and in front of her stood Newt, visibly worried. "Tina... You almost disapparated. I don't know where and I don't know why you wanted to apparate to, but it didn't seem good. Grindelwald?", he asked. Tina nodded. "Okay, we can discuss that later. The most important thing at the moment is... It's a bit complicated to explain, but I need you. My brother asked me to help him hunt Grindelwald down. You know, he's an auror. As if that hadn't been everything I've tried to accomplish in the last month. And I thought, if anyone can really help me find Grindelwald... If anyone has the ability to do so it would be you. And because I don't think I can do it alone", he murmured. Tina thought through every possibility. How could they get the others out of the suitcase? They would definitely need the creatures, but how should this plan work? "I already told Credence and Mal to search for Dumbledore and Queenie and Jacob are looking for Nicholas Flamel. We have every opportunity we can get, the way is free", Newt said. "Sometimes I believe that not Queenie is the one to read my mind"

 _"This morning came Bathilda. She wanted to talk to you", Aberforth commented, while he made lunch for Ariana. "Why?", Albus simple anwsered, he was too busy reading to meet anyone. "It had something to do with her nephew. She wanted to introduce you to him", Aberforth said in his typical tone, which meant that he didn't really care about it. "Well, if she comes back, tell her I'm busy. I am still working on my project", he whispered. "Okay, but nothing more. I can't always do your business", Aberforth explained. Albus was not interested in arguing with his brother about this, so he stood up and took his sandwich into his room. In the last weeks they had been fighting too often. Albus did not feel the desire to do so, he loved Aberforth and Ariana. But none of them wanted to understand him, no one knew why he wanted to find out the uses of dragon blood. They didn't understand him, they never did. But Albus had accepted his fate. It did not hurt him to be a lone wolf, he was quite happy with his life. Eventhough so many things went wrong, even though it was quite the chaos. Albus had fallen in love with the chaos in his life. He did not need anyone, he did not need anyone who tried to change him. Most people called him brilliant, talented. Someone like him shouldn't be alone, the papers said. Albus Dumbledore didn't need anymore things in his life, did he? The only thing he wanted was to live his dreams, probably a too huge wish, but he wanted to be recognized, he wanted people to see what he had done, wanted people to smile at him, while he was talking, because of who he was. He wanted to be famous, at least a little part of his heart wanted that. And he would realize two things in the years after this day: that power was best suited to those that never saw it and that the person whose smile he wanted to see, was currently damaging his window._

 _Albus firstly just noticed a small knock, someone was ringing the door bell, followed by Aberforth screaming that he would not open the door and that it was Albus responsibility to do so. His answer was that his book about defensive spells was more important than anyone who rang his doorbell at Sunday lunchtime. For a few minutes, Albus was focused on nothing but defensive magic and how it can be used in transfigurations. But suddenly, he heard a crash. Albus looked up from his book, realizing that it were the broken pieces of his window that were lying on the carpet. Whoever this was, he or she had to be crazy. Albus went through every offensive spell he knew in his brain, ready to attack, as he looked down, and in front of the door stood a boy with the blonde hair of an angel, and a silver and a brown eye. Every word died on his tongue. The boy lifted an eyebrow, thought for a moment and then asked: "Can I come in?" Albus wasn't able to move, and he had probably nodded as the stranger was speaking, he could just stand there and watch the boy climb through the broken window. And then this magical boy was standing in Albus bedroom and ruined his carpet with his dirty shoes. "I am so so sorry", the stranger whispered. He had the kind of voice you could listen to all day, a voice that attracted attention, even though he was not talking loudly. "For what?", Albus asked, his head completely confused. Something about this person was hypnotizing, not just his smile, but everything about him. Albus wasn't able to say anything really, and he was probably stuttering. "I destroyed your window, remember?", the boy said and smiled for a second, "I sincerely apologize, I had no intention to do so... But... I had to get your attention somehow. You didn't open the door, I knocked and rang the bell. And... I must say that it was probably a bit drastic decision to break your window. But I'll fix it. Reparo", he winked with the wand in his left hand and the broken glass magically put itself together. "Gellert Grindelwald, nice to meet you", the blonde wizard said and reached out his hand, to shake Albus hand. "Umm... Albus. Albus Dumbledore", Albus said, and took his hand. How did handshaking exactly work again? But Gellert did not seem to know either. While Albus was looking at him, he realized that the boy in front of him had dark circles under his eyes. As if he hadn't been able to sleep in the last nights. Gellert opened his mouth a bit, probably a sign of surprise, and this time both of his eyebrows lifted so high that they almost disappeared under his white blond hair. "Oh", he whispered and this time Albus knew that it was recognition in his eyes, which made his smile even brighter. "Then I was right by reading every article from you in the daily prophet, last night? I feel like you are the only one from the writers there that really understand what they're talking about. I mean, everyone else just calls it transfiguration and magic, but you really... What was the word again? You really understand it and you understand others. At least I felt understood and I believe that my opinion is important in this topic and that every other person on this planet should feel the same way. What I mean by that is that I really enjoyed your articles and that you are brilliant and there are so many things I'd like to discuss with you. And I hope you feel the same way", Gellert said. He was the sun, every other person in the universe was just around him. "Yeah — totally. What do you think about defensive spells used as an offensive attack?", He asked, the only topic that was left in his mind, except Gellert. "I don't really have an opinion on them now, I was about to read a book about that topic, but help me out. I'd love to hear your thoughts", Albus said. He did not care anymore, he did not care that he had accepted to be alone all his life. He wanted to make Gellert Grindelwald smile, what could be wrong with that?_


	26. Chapter 25 - Young, dumb and broken

**Hello everybody! Hope you enjoy my Story and I'd appreciate Reviews!**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 25**

 _"Gellert?", Albus asked. Silence. He looked around, no one in front of his house, no one in his garden. Only a letter on his window, a letter he read last night. But Gellert Grindelwald was nowhere to be seen, even though he promised to meet him the next day. It was early in the morning, and nobody else in this house was awake. Aberforth slept as long as Ariana and made her breakfast when she woke. Aberforth was at her side, day and night, no matter how hard her life was, he was there for her. And so he had the morning for himself. Albus listened again, to make sure that he wouldn't wake Ariana or his brother, and then he slowly walked down the stairs to the living room of the Dumbledores, with caution he took his jacket, which was almost magical, no thunderstorm could destroy it, and went outside, in the sunshine. A few times, he shouted Gellerts name. But of course, if he was sleeping, he wouldn't hear him. So he carefully knocked at the door of the Bagshots. Nobody heard him. Bathilda Bagshot had the deepest sleep in the whole galaxy, and so he rang the door bell. Still, everything was quiet. Gellert couldn't sleep. At least not much, and he was able to wake up if just a little noise interrupted his dreams. They both were more of night beings, more productive in the night than in the day. It would be a surprise that Gellert was sleeping right now, but atleast Albus did not have to worry anymore. But the silence scared him. It was only a week after Gellert had introduced himself, more three weeks until Albus birthday. Was Gellert just a bit tired because of their discussions? Never. Explanations couldn't make him feel better. He didn't know why he was so overprotective, his brain told him that his friend was just finally getting sleep. Ha, his heart said. As if you were just friends. Albus didn't know why he had these inner monologues, but they didn't help him in any way. He did not know how long he was standing there, until he reacted like every Gryffindor who had a brain and a wand: he opened the window to Gellerts room and climbed in. His room wasn't quite different from Als: a lot of books, a desk, but somehow he could see that it was Gellerts room. Not just because it was totally messy, Gellert hated all rules and every sense of order, but because the books were laying on the floor, every one of them had a book mark in them, next to the books were pencils. He had the strange habit to mark sentences he liked best. Albus thought it would be vandalism to move any of the books — chaos was holy to Gellert — so he carefully jumped over them. You've got a wand, you have magic inside you, and everything you do is jump over things, his brain was disappointed. "Gellert!", he shouted. "Albus?", the shadow of a whisper came from under the huge bed. He looked under it, and really it was the same unique white blonde hair, the silver eye. "What are you doing under your own bed? It is because you can't sleep?", he asked. "No, Al, it's not. It's nothing", he said calmly. "Then why don't you come out of there?", Albus asked, worried. "It's complicated. Just come back in an hour", Gellert stated. Suddenly, it made click in Albus brain. Gellert wasn't just whispering that quiet because he wanted to, not because he normally did so. It was because his voice was low, tears had stolen it to him. That he had cried wasn't as terrifying as the realization that Gellert didn't try to persuade him to something, that he wasn't using the charming words he normally did. He was at the edge, too weak to follow any of his normal habits. Albus wasn't ready to go, he wouldn't leave him here, crying. He was one of the only people that really cared about Gellert Grindelwald, he couldn't let him drown in his own tears here. Gellert needed him more than ever. Determined to not do anything what Gellert was saying, he crawled under the bed, next to the person that mattered to him most. "I'm not going to leave until you tell me what happened", he said. Instead of an answer, Gellert turned away, which wasn't easy because there was just enough space for the two boys. "You don't want to know. And I don't want you to see me like this. I should be strong, Albus. I should control it before it controls me. But it can't. I am not able to, I am not strong enough", he tried to repress his sobbing, his face in the direction of the wall, the back in Albus direction. Gellert waited a second, as if he wanted Albus to run away, because he was crying. "You're the strongest person I know", Albus murmured, as he put his hand on Gellerts back, in hope that he could calm him down. "You don't know me", Gellerts voice almost broke. "I know you better than anyone" "But you don't know it. You don't know why I am laying under my bed and crying. I am scared, Al. Scared of losing control, even though I've already lost it", he whispered, and slowly turned around, his mouth at Albus ear, because he couldn't speak any louder. "Then tell me", Albus said. This reminded him of how Aberforth treated Ariana, when she was about to break. Aberforth did not love anyone more than he loved his little sister. And he was the only one there for her, the only one able to help her. Albus had never understood how Aberforth could make her calm down so fast, how a little touch helped her more than any of his words. Now he understood. "My parents... They died. Not because of magic. They died because of... Where I live, there are a lot of non magic people. Some of them really poor, and I always pitied them. But one day... My parents came back from work and behaved different than usual. They hid something from me. I did not have a hard childhood or something, you can't blame my parents for my life. But one day... It was a year ago. They... The muggle in our village somehow found out that we had magical abilities. You know the secrecy laws, they were scared of my parents. And...", his tears fell on Albus skin and made the younger boy unable to talk. So he finished his sentence. "When muggles are scared, they attack.", he whispered. Albus had no idea why he was hugging Gellert, he couldn't decide at which point he turned around, but he was not going to let him go. They were a strange pair, hugging each other, under his bed. Two lonely boys, both now orphans. "I won't let it control you", Albus said, and he could have sworn that the shadow of a smile showed up on Gellerts face._

There were too many reasons why Gellert Grindelwald was able to cast a patronus. But he thought that none of them was Kralls business. "How can you have a patronus?", he had asked. Stupid spy. "It is a magical mystery that no one except me knows, and I am happy that you won't be in the circle of knowing people, Krall. Sometimes you are just too curious for your business. If you want to, you can ask your master. I don't think he will answer you anything, because Mr. Dumbledore is more of a closed person really. There are only a fiew people on this world that can say that they know him, and most of them are lying. Whatever, I'm glad you survived, Krall. Yes, you are useful, but you are not worth enough to know my deepest thoughts and fears. And I hope that you don't tell it around that I've got a patronus. Doesn't give you good publicity, you know. I mean, I can prove that I am not a dark wizard, but on the other hand... Fear makes you more followers than Grace", Grindelwald whispered. The look on Krallls face made him almost laugh. "Do you really believe I wouldn't remember that my friends killed your family? I know how Dumbledore chooses his spies, don't try to lie to me. You have sworn to him to serve for good your whole lifetime, right? And then you try to act as if you would really believe in the greater good. It was a bit of a surprise to me that you would go this far and kill Vinda. But Dumbledore probably reassured you that it is a deed for good. Oh, yes, he was always especially good at telling people that their goals are for a greater target, eventhough they aren't. I understood that killing humans is something that changes your life — but not in a good sense. No one should demand blind faith, am I right? You don't know what Albus Dumbledores motives are, and his targets. He doesn't care about humans, he just cares about the bigger picture — about the worlds fate. We really are the same, Krall. No matter on which side you are, you will think that you are good. We all fight for peace, for a better world. Albus Dumbledore has as many dead bodies in his garden as I have. And even if he has not now, he will have. What do you think? Does telling others to kill make your own fault lesser or bigger? Believe me, no one wants a war. No one in history ever said that. I am not a psychopath, I don't kill because it makes me feel better. With every death we get nearer to the greater good. And you will probably be about to ask me why I am doing this. So I talk and talk and you can escape, like in every good book about a hero and a villain. But in this world, in this reality, all heroes and villains are dead by now, killed by the realization that we are all just desperate, desperate people fighting for our own future. Albus Dumbledore is as bad as I am. So you better rethink your decision", he whispered. Lies, lies, lies. Albus Dumbledore was a better person that he would ever be. But some sacrifices had to be made, for the greater good. Grindelwalds brain slowly realized that he couldn't. He would sacrifice his own life for the greater good, for a world where his parents were not killed and Ariana survived. But the most important part of this world was Albus. He couldn't tell lies about him, something in his inside wanted him to tell the truth. What had happened that he had become so easy to see through?

 _"What is a patronus?", he asked Albus. "A patronus is an animal made out of magic that protects you from dementors. To make one, you have to cast the spell Expecto patronum and focus on your happiest memory. It is one of the most difficult spells to learn but once you can cast your patronus, you will never regret it", Albus explained. "I'm ready", Gellert decided, closed his eyes and said: "Expecto Patronum!" Silver dust flooded the room, but it did not take the form of an animal. As Gellert opened his eyes again, he was more than disappointed. "Try to change the memory. Maybe you are just focused on the wrong thing", Albus commented. "Expecto Patronum", the same thing happened, but no animal came out of his wand. Gellert looked up to Albus him, (they were both sitting on the carpet), insecure, before he began to speak again, Oh, he would regret this. He would regret this, and probably die of embarrassment in the next few seconds. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. He would have to try at least. "I'm so sorry", he whispered and tried to laugh over his words as if he was not currently dying inside, "But... Could you...", he went quiet as fast as he could. He had to have a plan. He had to control the feeling, so they couldn't control him. Use your words, you were born to be great, you are not going to stutter. Take a deep breath and tell him some stupid excuse. "I have a theory and it's a bit weird and awkward and you can say no at any time. So, my theory is... Okay, in Durmstrang I learned that some things can strengthen your magic, for example, if someone harms your friends, the anger inside you can make you able to cast an unforgivable curse. It is called emotional activation of magic. Basically, it works with every spell. You need something that activates the magic inside you so it works like you want it to. It could help to climb on a table so your flying charms are stronger, these kinds of things. I have never ever heard of anyone who used this technique with the patronus charm, but I think it is worth a try. Obviously, you don't have to... That is the most complicated part. Apparently my memories aren't happy enough, my memories from Durmstrang explicitly. And... The next words will sound incredibly dumb. You know if they don't work... You are the only person that really understands me, Albus. You make me happy and this is why I... Take my hand and believe me, it will work", Gellert Grindelwald closed his eyes, ready to die because Albus didn't understand him and because he would obviously laugh about his theory and... A moment later he felt someone touching his hand. Albus took it, and whispered in his ear. "Concentrate. Take your wand and focus. Focus on what makes you happy and then say the words" Albus held his hand, and a warm feeling spread through his whole body. The words came over his lips, it was easier than he had thought. They weren't just Albus and Gellert anymore, they were one and suddenly Gellert realized, what he needed, what his memory was. This should not have happened, but he had already thought it at the day when Albus had comforted him, as he was crying under his bed. Tomorrow was Albus birthday. And Gellert slowly realized that he was in love with Albus Dumbledore. "Expecto Patronum!", he shouted. Love was no flame, like the books said, love was not something made to destroy, which was what he had always thought. He had never believed in true love. For him, it had been just something people used to get the money from others, so they could feel better. It was something alien, something hypnotizing. There simply was just no one else he wanted more to have in his life. He wanted this, he wanted their discussion, he wanted Albus to be there when he couldn't sleep, he wanted to help him to have peace with his brother, he wanted to see Albus every morning when he woke up. There was nothing he had ever wanted more than this. It was a strange feeling, but he should better accept it. As if he had a choice. Gellert was torn out of his daydreams by Albus voice. "You did it!", he screamed. Finally, he opened his eyes. In front of him, a silver phoenix. The same phoenix as Albus patronus._


	27. Chapter 26 - You can't just die now

**Hello everybody, hope you enjoy.**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

Leta Lestrange had the ability to make herself invisible. Not in a magical sense, but she was someone that wasn't as remarkable and therefore most people forgot her. She did not know if she felt lucky that Newt had forgotten to give her a task and left her in the suit case or insulted because her long term best friend thought of her last. But she had learned that jealousy was bad, that some things deserved to be rather not said. At least she was now in the team to hunt down Grindelwald, even though in secrecy. Theseus was probably looking for her right now, but there were more important things to do. Firstly, she had to get out of the suitcase and tell Newt and Tina that she would help them. How was she about to do that? Like every witch lady in her century, she knew all spells that could use her when locked somewhere. She would never let herself be kidnapped again. It was easy to open the case, and as she finally went out of it, she fixed her hair, and smiled, as if someone was watching. Technically, someone was watching. Explicitly Newt and Tina. "Leta, why do you have to be so stupid? It's a mistake. Grindelwald will kill you", Newt began to say. But Leta had a plan. And when a Slytherin has a plan, she will do everything to get what she wants. "I've got a plan. Just stay behind me and I will get you to Grindelwald" Being someone with flexible morals was so much more fun if you could use them against someone that was not your friend.

"Credence!", he heard the voice of the men in his ears. "That's not my name!", he shouted in his direction. He hated humans. Everyone thought that they were better than everyone else. Especially this one. "Credence, I don't want to harm you, I am here to help you", Grimmson said. "Shut up, you don't have any right to talk to me like this. Go away", Credence screamed, and around him the windows broke, he didn't realize that he was leading the destruction of this house with his hands. He was able to control it, oh yes he was. And no one would steal his life, no one would kill him, now that he could finally understand. "Goodbye, Mr. Grimmson. May heaven be more forgiving than I am", Credence murmured. He did not know from where the anger inside him came. Probably because Malena was currently almost dying, and he had no patience left. "I knew your aunt, Credence", Grimmson shouted. "The only part of a family I have is my sister. My aunt can go wherever she wants, she probably doesn't care about me, and I won't care about her either" "But Credence. She knows how to cure you", he said, before the stone walls fell on his body and ended his life. Credence realized that he just killed a human. It was his fault. But he had wanted to catch him, had wanted to let him be killed. He had no time to think about what was right and what was wrong. Credence ran to the corner of the broken building, where he had taken her, as he had seen her wound. He did not even know if it was Grimmson. Just someone on the streets, someone Mal had known from the circus, someone that hated them all. Some hater from the streets. Some hater with a gun. "It's okay, Credence. I'll fix it. Somehow... See you later", she whispered. "NO YOU CAN'T JUST DIE RIGHT NOW, I NEED YOU.", Credence screamed. She was slowly, with all the strength she had, transforming into a snake. Credence did not want her to go, he needed her today more than ever. But the giant snake on the floor did not move anymore. Credence heart had never ever been broke before. He had loved Malena and now she was dead. "Nope, not today", someone said. Credence had the strange desire to laugh out loud. "How did you not know that snakes shed their skin?", Malena asked him, as he hugged her. "Not even death can cure me of my curse"

Okay, where do we want to start to look for him?", Queenie asked him. Jacob had no idea. "What if they hid until the right moment? I don't think Dumbledore would just disappear because he wants to, I mean, it's possible, but still", he said his thoughts out loud. It had begun to rain, but Queenie did not move out of the way. "I can't stop thinking about us, Jacob. I don't know why, it's weird. But I am so scared, for you. Have you heard of Grindelwalds no-maj murdering? Some people are trying to get them out of their countries, so they are safe. That's barbaric and I don't want that to happen to you. And I would like to tell you that I could save you when it happens. But I can't and... I... I just can't handle the situation, Jacob. I love you", she whispered. "I love you too, Queenie", he said. He had no idea how this had happened. How his happiness had been destroyed by just one wizard. "What are we gonna do now?", Jacob asked. "I don't know, but I'll... I hope we can find a way somehow", she said. The silver form of a phoenix turned up in the sky, flew rounds looking for something and then stopped in front of Jacob. It began to speak misteriously. It did not make a sound, it just seemed as if its words appeared in Jacobs thoughts. Jacob, it's good to see you. I need your help, come with me. I am Albus Dumbledores patronus. "Don't listen to it.", said Queenie. But Jacob was already following the patronus.

My name is Gellert Grindelwald, he heard in his head. A broken window, Gellert who ruined his carpet. I believe my opinon is important and that everyone else should feel the same way. Thousands of talks in the middle of the night, through their patronus, through letters. You are the strongest person I know, it made it even worse that it was his own voice. Too many memories, it was too much to bear it. Grindelwald cast a patronus, he destroyed his window. You don't know me. Albus had no idea why, but he believed that this were Gellerts memories. If not, he wouldn't have seen Grindelwald talking to Tina Goldstein. He smiled at her, in his graves-looking self and all Dumbledore wanted to do was scream. We are all just desperate people fighting for our future. Just darkness, and then, louder than every time before: I'm sorry. Gellert kissing him, him trying to save Ariana, Gellert writing his letter and again and again scenes of Grindelwald laying under his bed, Albus next to him. I should control it but I can't. Albus tried to shout, tried to get himself out of this dream, tried to do anything, so he did not have to listen. But it did not work. He knew that his heart wouldn't let him forget this and that he would have to see these scenarios again and again in his head. It seemed too unbelievable to him that Grindelwalds last words were true. You make me do this, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Every word hurt him, why he had to be caught in his torture for eternity? His brain told him that Gellert was doing this to hurt him, to make him weak, to get him on his side. But his heart wanted him to believe it. Believe that Grindelwald was hurting too. And Dumbledore knew that he really was hurting. But no matter how hard it teared his former lover apart, it killed him more. Why? Why did he hate himself so much for loving someone who killed so many? Why did he fall in love with a monster? But a second later began the fight again. His heart against his mind. And as every time, his heart won. He's not a monster, and he loves you too, was the opinion of his heart. Wouldn't he give up, if he would really love you? But suddenly someone was standing right in front of him. With his thoughts he had called the person he would least like to see at this moment. "Do you really believe that if I wouldn't love you, you'd still be alive? Do you really believe that I wouldn't love you, I would not directly confront you? Do you think I would want you on my side if I did not feel anything? You have listened to others for too long and did not trust your own eyes. I am not going to let you go, Albus. I am not going to let you destroy yourself just because of your own self doubt. I won't let it control you. You can hate me, but I won't let you hate yourself, because you don't deserve it. You believe in the good in everyone, why do you judge yourself so hard? You deserve to be happy, Albus. Life just tortures you, because it would be unfair for the others if you could be happy all your life. It is the balance of things — to reach your happy end, you have to get through a lot of pain. It is a way to tell you that you deserve it more than anything else. And you do, Albus. Don't let your brain take over, after all you are a Gryffindor. Fortune favors the brave", Gellert Grindelwald whispered into his ear, his hands wrapped around his neck. Albus felt strangely brought back to the time when he had comforted Gellert. And really, it made him feel better.

Was it just Modestys imagination or was there really someone in front of the door, someone who had just knocked? Modesty hated being a curious person, it had brought her in too many dangerous situation, but she couldn't do anything but open the door. One person stood there, in the darkness, and he seemed strange to her. Probably because she had only seen robes in the last three months. People that wore suits were more than weird to her, weird and suspicious. She was not stupid enough to ask who he was, or to even let the stranger in. Modesty loved being a witch sometimes more than she hated to have her abilities. She concentrated for a second and the pictures came sooner than usual. In front of her stood Albus Dumbledore, one of the most talented wizards of his age, Professor in Hogwarts. "You are probably here because of Lally, am I right?", Modesty hesitated for a moment. She had learned that strangers could soon become a problem, in her time with Credence. She shouldn't let him in the castle, but the curiosity in herself won. Stupid intuition, would Mary Lou tell her. If she would not be dead. "Yes, my name is Albus Dumbledore and I teach at Hogwarts. And you must be...", he said, and waited for her to tell him her name. "Eulalie Hicks bodyguard. Yeah, it is really hard for me in these days, because I always get underrated because of my height, but honestly, it is sometimes really helpful to be small. You firstly tell me why you want to see her majesty and then I may consider taking you to her or letting you freeze in the wild like I, as a good bodyguard, should always consider as a plan b", she told him, while she had no idea was she was talking about. In her mind, she tried to look into this Albus Dumbledore. He had a little wall in front of his heart and brain. But Modesty was the most professional child in her business, and it was more than easy to her to look into his memories. The Oldest child in a family with three, both parents died, his sister too. Too much pain, too many things she did not want to see, not because she could not bear it, but, because it did not help to search through hurting memories, they just made everything worse. Someone like Albus Dumbledore would never harm her, he was too scared of his own mind, of his own doubts, of his past. But there was no one in the region of a hundred kilometers who know better how it felt to be haunted than Modesty. No danger would come from this gentleman. "I am sorry, I did not know Eulalie had a bodyguard, but I apologize dearly. I would like to talk with her about... you know, it's complicated", Dumbledore began to stutter. Modesty began to open the door a little more and let him walk in. "You can pass, I don't have the time nor the patience to listen to your tragic love story, I believe Lally can really help you better with it than I can. My name is Modesty, Professor. I was told that I could be anything in this school, in this country, even if I want to be a witch. And if I can be a witch, it won't be a problem for me to act like a bodyguard, will it?", she discussed. A little smile appeared on Albus Dumbledores face. "Nice to meet you, Modesty", he commented, as she was guarding him to Lallys office. Most grown-ups did not mean their words, they were always lying. Modesty had the feeling that Dumbledore belonged in that category too, normally. But something had made him say the truth. And as he was reaching the door of Eulalies office, he turned around again, sadness glanced in his eyes. "You remember me of someone I used to know. Someone who was really important to me, but she died. Her name was Ariana"


	28. Chapter 27 - Truth and die

**Hello everybody, thanks for reading and for liking the Story (thanks to everyone who consideers writing a Review or making this Story on of your favorites, I appreciate that sooo much).**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 27**

"What's your name?" "Jacob. I think it's Jacob? No, it was probably John. Yeah, yeah, John Macbeth", he said, his brain still strangely full of dust and confusion. "John Macbeth? Okay, then tell me what you know, Romeo", the person in a dark robe and a mask on his face said. "Romeo? Didn't I tell you that I'm Jacob?" "No, you said you're John Macbeth. What is your profession? Are you possibly an actor?", the man lifted his eyebrows, visibly amused by his prisoners words. "I don't really know" "To be or not to be?", he asked. Jacob had no idea. "I guess to be? Or maybe not to be? Is that some kind of riddle? I can't even remember my own name how should I be able to know if it is to be or not to be?", Jacob stuttered. "Are you stupid or just really really weird? Honestly, you confuse me. I'd better kill you before Grindelwald wants me to serve somewhere else because I went mad", the guard decided. "Oh, I'm sorry, you're talking about Shakespeare, right? I am sorry, I was just a bit confused. Where are we?" "We are in a special place in Paris, and I am afraid that I won't be able to kill you in the next hours. Grindelwald wouldn't be delighted if I kill you before it begins" "Before what begins?" "The games. What else should I be talking about? Didn't you know? Oh, I forgot to tell you. Basically, you have to fight against everyone else in the arena, the two people standing last, will be free.", the follower of Grindelwald said. "And who am I fighting against? Why do I have to fight?" "You fight against the other non magic people we caught in the last months. The ones that survive have proven their worth to the wizarding community, there for are not useless anymore and will be part of Grindelwalds new world and accepted by the people around them. Grindelwald is not a dictator, he is willing to give every one of you a chance, and he does not believe that all of your kind are ignorant. You should feel honored to be in this competition" Jacob had faced fear too often in his life, fear of losing memory, fear of losing people he loved, but he had never ever felt that much fear of losing his own life. "But that Is totally brutal. I don't have to be a good fighter to be a good human", Jacob whispered, not able to talk louder, the fear was controlling him. "Magic blooms only in rare souls, Mr. Macbeth. No one here is a good human, and even if you were, you wouldn't count as a good human in the face of Grindelwald. You can only prove your purity by winning the games", the acolyte explained to him, a spark of madness in his eyes. "You say I count as a good person, worthy of your respect, after I kill hundreds of people? Doesn't one of them exclude the other?" It did not help Jacobs brain to discuss right now. The only thing he knew was that he had to get away from here as quick as possible.

 _"Hey", someone ran into her, accidentally. She hated it, when people did not look around themselves, when they were not aware of their environment, because she always had to be, because she was reading too many thoughts at once. Queenie had no time to think about other people, she should find Jacob, before Grindelwald could get him. Jacob suddenly apparated, this patronus took him somewhere, somewhere Queenie did not know where it was. "Hey? You bettere watch out where you're going, Theseus Scamander", Queenie shouted at him, but stopped as she realized in what persons head she had been looking into. "Theseus Scamander? Newts brother?", she added. The auror looked at her, both eyebrows lifted. "I am Theseus Scamander, indeed. But who are you and why do you know my name? I don't know why, but you seem... familiar?", Theseus said and began to stutter, like his brother. "My name is Queenie Goldstein, and I am a friend of your brother. And you seem to be looking for your fiancé? I haven't seen Leta, but... There is a no-maj... You are British, right? I can tell you this and you won't kill me because of it. I am in love with this no-maj, Jacob, and he was kidnapped. By Grindelwald. And I... You are an auror. You could... help me? You help me and I help you find Leta. Do we have a deal?", Queenie asked him. In her life, she had learned that confusion was the best method to get people to do what you want. Knowing too_ _much and saying even more things, things the other persons brain could not work through entirely in such a short time period. "Umm... Okay?", Theseus decided. "Swear it", she whispered. "I have to find Leta, I won't let her get her kidnapped again. This is why I swear to help you", Theseus declared. "Okay, now that this is finally done, we'll get to the arena. And yes, I know this because I can read your mind. It is the only place that is abandoned and glamorous enough to be used to hold slaves, or in this case no-majs. Did you know that the old Romans used these theaters for gladiator fights? Gladiators were often slaves, that wanted to be free, and the only way to get freedom was to survive in the arena for a long time period", she began to talk. Theseus was so confused, that she almost pitied him, but the only way to get Jacob back was in the guidance of an auror, it was the only way. If she had known what happened in the arena right now, she would have hurried a bit more._

 _"I don't want to talk right now", Gellert whispered, as Albus was knocking on his door. "Of course. You never want to talk, Gellert. You want a kingdom, not a therapy session. But if you don't tell me, you're going to tell it no one. And I don't want to find you under your bed ever again. Don't get me wrong. I just... I don't want to have to worry about you all the time", Albus said, his ear on the door, because Gellert was almost not understandable. "You worry about me? What a beautiful thought. As if you were not the person to worry about. After all of your fights with Aberforth and what happens to your sister", he said, as he opened the door suddenly, which pushed Albus away, and he fell on the stone steps. Gellert reached out his hand and helped him back on his feet. "Don't try to distract from your own problems", Albus suggested, "also, it would be logical that you let me in, now that you opened your door", he added. Gellert rolled his eyes at him, but slowly pointed into the direction of his room. "Oh please, my life is made out of problems. And you, Albus Dumbledore, are my biggest problem", he said, while walking up the stairs to his room. Albus followed him, carefully watched out, so he did not fall over the books laying on the floor. He did not know why his heart was beating so fast. Neither did he know why he knew that Gellert was totally honest to him. He was his problem. After a moment of awkward silence, where Albus was standing weirdly around, Gellert took a deep breath and pulled him onto his bed. Completely concentrated, he closed his eyes and began to speak. "Please don't interrupt me. It is not easy for me to talk about my feelings and everything, so don't make it harder than it is. A letter arrived. I am expelled from Durmstrang, they made their decision. Don't judge me, please. Let me tell you why. They said that I almost killed a student, because of experiment with dark magic. The student was said muggles son, you know the muggle that — why am I saying muggle? I was too long with you, Albus. We don't just are the same, we say the same things. Okay, so said peoples son... I was doing an experiment, just like they said. I tried to — and I am sorry, I regret every time I close my eyes, it would have never worked, I tried to resurrect my parents from death. For obvious reasons, it did not work. Then this muggleborn student came in my direction and said... This person has magic, even though his parents are witch hunters. He said that my parents would have deserved to die because...", Gellert took a deep breath again, and Albus could hear the tears in his voice. He had the strange desire to hug him, right now, even though — or better because- he was looking so miserable and haunted by his past. "He told me that my parents were thieves, murderer and that they were freaks that searched for three deathly hallows, so they could rule the world to get more money and power. I almost killed him. I would have killed him, wanted to trade his life for the lives of my parents. Later, I found out that he was lying to me and that my parents were killed by the muggles just because of their own fears. The boy only wanted my attention, because he was a stupid idiot, who only got happiness by insulting others. I almost killed him — but I remembered that my parents would have never wanted me to be a murderer. They believed that love can change the world, just like I do. I mean — I did not at first but... Thanks, Albus. Just thanks, for understanding me. Because no one else does"_

"Whatever. Krall, there is an event we have to attend. You as my first acolyte, have to come. Don't try to tell me some kind of excuse, I know when you are lying", were Grindelwalds words. Kralls brains state had slowly turned from slightly scared to mad and probably only coming out of this dead. If Grindelwald wanted him to do something, he could not do anything about it. Maybe it had been the wrong decision. But his brain had forbid him this kind of thoughts. He was doing something good and the fact that Grindelwald still let him spy for Dumbledore was extraordinary. "I mean, you are attending. Attending in my name, of course. No matter what happens, keep calm and apparate if anyone is trying to kill you. And do some fancy speeches, you know what I mean. Before anyone is dying, they should understand me. Uhh, I forgot, you don't understand me. Is it possibly too much effort for you... Why does my life have to be that complicated? You know what, just try speaking as if you were Albus Dumbledore. As if not everything we had got destroyed. Err... What was I saying? I'm sorry, Krall, just tell them some stuff about your family and that this is the reason why you fight for the "greater" good. Forget the things I said about Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore"

"John MacBeth!", the guards screamed his name. Someone pushed him, Jacob tumbled, ran against a wall, before he landed on the sand floor. He was dizzy and it was too dark to see anything, except the bright full moon on the sky. The moonlight brightened up the stone steps, on which Grindelwald stood, in the center of the light. Jacob was willing to believe that this should make him feel little, stupid, because he and the others could not see anything, except Grindelwald. But Jacob would not play these little psychopathic tricks with him. The only thing that counted was not listening now. Gellert Grindelwald believed that muggles were stupid, easy to manipulate and not worth of anything. And he would try to make him that way, if Jacob listened and believed him. "Good evening, ladies and gentleman. My name is Gellert Grindelwald and you are part of a competition, which is supposed to tell me who of you is of any worth. But before we begin, I will, as a fair leader, give every one of you a question to ask me which I will have to answer truthfully. Why am I doing this? Because I want you to understand me better, even if you are dead a few minutes later", he declared and lifted his head up, to the sky, as if he heardvoices in his head. With a wink of his wand, the arena was brightened up by spotlight and Jacob finally saw that he was standing in a giant arena, next to him stood other people: children, elder, women, men. And everyone of them wore a sign on their clothes: non-magic, squib, muggleborn. And under the sign was another, the reason why they were standing in this arena. A redheaded woman next to him had a long text on her sweater, she whispered into his direction: "I'm Bunty, I got caught because I... It's a longer story and it includes riding on an erumpent and trying to attack acolytes with my hippogriff, oh, by the way, I am muggleborn. And you are Jacob, right? Newt wrote me a letter, where he told me about everything that happened. I assisted him when he was traveling around the world, and we are still dear friends. Unless I die today, of course" Bunty shook her long red locks, as Grindelwald lifted an eyebrow. "Bunty, do you want to begin? You seem to have a lot of things to say", he said, the sarcasm in his voice was too visible. Bunty smiled at him, and flipped her hair back. "What do we have to do, so every one survives?", she asked. Grindelwald laughed at her. "You really believe you know everything, darling. There is only one way for you all to survive and that is to understand me truly. When you know me as good as I know myself, when you ask the right questions, you... may... be free, maybe not. But I don't think my dear acolytes would like to see that, still, I have to give you a chance", Grindelwald smiled brightly and Jacob hated him at this moment more than ever. He was trying to play with them, trying to make them fear things. Jacob heard a little child, with the sign "squib" on her clothes, say, calmly: "Tell me the one thing that would make you give up. And if you answer nothing, you are a liar" "You're so sweet. That something would make me give up... As if I would ever give up. I'm a seer, I know that I will never give up. Not even death threatens me... And I decide what is a lie and what is truth, Jeanne Hicks. And now be quiet", Grindelwald shouted at the little girl. But instead of being scared or hiding somewhere, she laughed. Jacob wanted to save her, this strange kid, willing to laugh the darkest wizard in history into the face. "Age alone doesn't make you wiser", she whispered and her words gave her a strange power. She was just a girl in an old dirty dress, her short brown hair was messed up, and she was clearly too tired to be awake right now. But at this moment, she was a hero for all of them standing in the arena. "Okay, now that we heard all the important questions, I decided that we will have to start now. Let the games begin", he screamed, but because he was Gellert Grindelwald, it still was not louder than his usual whisper. The crowd of acolytes on the steps over their heads cheered, as if they were happy to see their blood. Now Jacob understood why they had to fight on sand, their blood would paint the floor and it would look like a painting. Just the thought of killing people made him want to punch Gellert Grindelwald right in his silver eye. But the only thing he could hear except the crowd screaming, was Jeanne. "You will pay for this", she murmured, as acolytes began to cast spells at them. Jacob could not really process that they were actually bringing lions in to the arena. For now, the only thing that counted, was to survive. Grindelwald would not have mercy with them.And a second later Jacob knew that it all was over.


	29. Chapter 28 - the death of a muggle

**Hello everybody, hope you like it!**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 28**

"Take my hand", Queenie demanded. "What? I have a wife" "You either take my hand or take responsibility for the death of about 50 no-majs", she told him, before she grabbed his hand and disapparated. As they landed, both a bit dizzy, Theseus stared at her, visibly angry. "If Leta finds about this, I'm going to be dead", he said. "Either you are dead or my future husband. Stupor", she screamed, into the direction of an acolyte, right in front of her. Only now, she had realized that they were sitting on stone steps in a giant arena. They were right here. Queenie looked around, shocked some of Grindelwalds followers. Every one was concentrated to stare down. Huge lions were attacking people with signs on their clothes. In her left ear she heard Grindelwalds commentary on the fights down there, in her right ear she listened to the thoughts of the acolytes. I hope he's dead. Where was Jacob? She looked around, he was gone. The only people she could identify from up here were a woman with red hair that looked like a fire crown on her head, riding one of the lions and a child that looked at the lions, stubborn, whispering things to them. But where was Jacob? "I believe we have the first death! It is... I have to look again. Our dear man... John MacBeth. Well, he was definitely not worthy", Grindelwald declared. Fear slowly crawled into Queenies heart. Jacob had to be there somewhere. What if he was...? She did not want to say it, not even in her thoughts. So many people, so many thoughts... But nothing that would help her. No, wait. The acolyte next to her, who was so concentrated that he did not even hear Grindelwalds commentary. A memory came into her mind, and stole every bit of hope she had ever had. "What's your name?" "Jacob. I think it's Jacob? No, it probably was John. John Macbeth" It felt as if someone had taken her heart away and locked it away, in a cage, guarded by a giant dragon, who held it with its ice-cold claws. Jacob was dead. And now she could see him, under the paws of one of the lions. It really was Jacob, she knew it because of his eyes, the way he laid on the sand, as if he was just sleeping. Jacob was dead and there was nothing she could do about it. It was her fault and only her fault. Queenie later realized that she jumped into the sand, she did not realize how high it had been. She could not breathe anymore, couldn't feel anything. Her whole life she had thought she would have known what it meant to lose people. She had lost her parents, when she was really young. She had thought that she had survived enough pain in her life, listen to enough peoples life. But Jacob had been taken from her, Jacob, the no maj, the only no maj in her life. The only person except her sister that really understood her. Jacob had never done anything to the people around him, he had never killed anybody? If life had any meaning, if there really was something like justice in life, why did Jacob have to die? From every person in the world, from everyone, it had to be him, even though he was a good human, even though he had never really been a part of this world. He was just a muggle at the wrong place at the wrong time. He had never in his life deserved to die. Queenie understood Newt now better than anyone else. She did not want this life, she did not want to survive, she did not want to fight against evil, if everything she had ever believed in, could be destroyed so easily. If Jacob had to die, how should she survive? It did not feel as if Jacob was now lying in front of her, not like blood was coming out of his chest. It felt as if someone had broken her all bones and now expected her to walk around like everything was normal. Queenie had read enough romance novels to know that people in love always said that they could not live without each other. She did not doubt that she would survive without Jacob. But without any faith in humanity, without believing into the good in the world, she would not be herself. Without Jacob. It slowly began to rain, rain dripped onto her hair, but she did not care anymore. She did not care anymore. Maybe that was the reason why Grindelwald did not care about humanity: he had loved someone too much and lost this love. Her life was over now, now that a hundred arrows were killing her heart. Pukwudgie — heart. And she could not exist without it. She could not bear the voices inside her head anymore. Queenie did not know how long she was crying there, in the rain, lying next to Jacob. A thought ran into her mind, a glance of light in the complete darkness surrounding her. It was the only way. She would not die like Juliet, she would survive. And so would Jacob, even though Queenie was not strong and trained in healing spells to heal him — which was nearly impossible. She heard Theseus saying that other aurors would come, almost every acolyte disapparated. But a loud noise teared through the silence, through Queenies sobbing. Someone was apparating, no, not just someone, a few people. Queenie did not believe in hope anymore. All her hope was currently dying, together with the only person she ever truly loved. There was only one way, the only chance she had. And even though it was wrong, even though she knew that she would probably regret it, she whispered, into Grindelwalds direction: "I'll do whatever you want"

 _She heard them talking. Aberforth probably didn't, he did not know what it meant to listen to others, because your own life scares you too much and you begin to think about other lives more than yours, because you know if you think about the thing in side you, it will possess you. Ariana knew that normally, the obscurial died at the age of ten. She was fourteen, she should not be alive. But she had managed to survive, somehow. She still listened to Gellert and Albus talking. They were so in love with each other that they did not notice other people hurting, but it was their right, because once in his life, everyone is in love. Everyone except Ariana. Ariana did not talk to other people, specially not to muggles or boys tat were not related to her or friends with her brother. There were people in this world that just wanted to destroy, even though destroying made you empty and angry you hated it, you tried to do something else, but some people made destroying happy, just like it made Ariana feel better to listen to other peoples life stories. Albus deserved to have a happy life, because he was wise and brilliant and talented. Just like Aberforth deserved it. She had told her brother too often that he should not care about her, that he should leave her, so should Albus. She knew that there would come a day when she would have to die because she could not control the beast inside, and when she did, she did not want to kill someone else with her. Ariana knew that it was her fault her mother was dead, she knew that she should have argued with her less. She knew all these things, but she still could not do something about it. If anyone would find out that she was obscurial, she would land in the Saint Mungo hospital, living like an animal in a cage, as if she was a freak. But Ariana knew that she was not, she was more powerful than most people in her age. She was a Dumbledore and Dumbledores were powerful, powerful with one fatal weakness. She knew hers, she was an obscurial, there for her weakness was losing control, Aberforth was anger, he was capable of killing people, because they insulted her, which he had from his father. Albus greatest weakness were his beliefs. He really believed that in every person was a bit good. And before she had turned into this beast she was now, she had believed him. But how was she supposed to be good when a disease was living inside her? Everyone had an obscurial inside himself, that was her logic. Even though other peoples obscurials were not real obscurials. Everyone had the talent and the ability to be turned evil, because of their weakness, their obscurial. But everybody also had the potential to be turned good, by someone or something that happened in their lives. And Ariana was scared: If Albus would win or Gellert. Good or evil, angel or devil, everybody was both, the only thing that mattered was trying to get someone to follow the right way. Albus and Gellert both believed that love could change the world. Ariana knew that Albus wanted to love Gellert with every piece of his soul, he loved him too much, hoping that the love would make him turn his back to the darkness and make him good. Everybody had a weakness, but some had darkness in their souls. And there she was sitting, on the floor of her room, Aberforth sleeping, next to her, while she listened to Albus and Gellerts talks about the greater good. They were both obsessed with the idea that people were chosen to be magical, because of the purity in their hearts and souls. She did not believe that, because if people were born magical only because of their kindness and purity, why did the darkness inside her soul came out so late, why did the obscurus ruin her life, if she was one of the rare souls chosen to live with magical abilities?_

 _"I love you", he said, staring at the white wall in front of him. "I am in love with Gellert Grindelwald", he whispered, while reading his favorite books. "I love him", he screamed, shouting it into the thunderstorm outside. Albus had no idea what was happening to him, why he was standing outside in the rain, like a maniac screaming a name. He should not be this crazy, should he? As if it was helping his heart to scream it out. Gellert Grindelwald had kissed him. "What are you doing over there, ALBUS", came a scream through the rain. "Speaking of the devil...", Albus commented, as Gellert was jumping through the rain, as if he was an artist. "Do you really think I am the devil?", he whispered, now that he was standing next to him. "No, I am just summoning him in a magical ritual and that is the only reason I am screaming your name through the rain, Gellert", he rolled his eyes and Gellert did the same. "Well, I'm glad that it's my name and not the name of someone else", he smiled. And even though it was raining, his smile was like sunshine to him. "I like rain better than sunshine, Albus. It makes me feel as if I am not the only person crying too much. The clouds feel me", he explained. "I am not going to pity you just because your hair is getting wet, if you want me to say that.", Albus whispered. "Do you know why I also like rain? You don't know if I am crying or it is just the raindrops", Gellert looked up to him. There were no eyes he loved better than his. "You don't have to cry because I am here", Albus said, looking at the boy. "Actually, my brain and my heart want me to run around smiling like a fool. But I feel like that would destroy everything I stand for", Gellert said, while trying to fix his hair. Albus almost laughed at him, because it looked really strange. His hair always looked perfect, no matter what, but he would not tell him, because it was too cute to watch. "I am not a person to tell others to smile, you know I think it's quite disrespectful. But you are beautiful, no matter if you smile or not. It's just two kinds of beautiful", Albus began to explain. Gellert was looking at him, as if he really was listening, which Albus could never be sure about, but he still continued. "If you smile, you look like an angel. And if you don't, you look like yourself. The real you. And every time you look at me, exactly like this, I ask myself how I got to deserve this", Albus whispered. Gellert was a little taller than him, and almost jumped into the air, his ear right next to Albus mouth, so he would not miss any of the things he said. "First you tell me I am the devil and second you tell me I am an angel? Albus... It's not like you don't deserve me. I am the person who does not deserve you, I did so many things wrong in my life and will do. You are better than me, in every way. The rain makes me hide the pain inside me, but you... I don't have to control myself, when I'm with you. I don't have to lie, I don't have to think. I say what I mean and... I don't have to pretend to be someone I am not. You fix me, in every second I am with you a little more. And I love you. I repeat: I AM IN LOVE WITH ALBUS. PERCIVAL. WULFRIC. BRIAN. DUMBLEDORE!", With every word of Albus name, he came closer. After Gellert whispered the last word, Dumbledore, they kissed each other._


	30. Chapter 29 - Credence is finally free

**Hello everybody, thanks for reading.**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 29**

"Maybe... Maybe there is no cure", he whispered. "I had the same thought. Credence, you shouldn't... I don't think you should believe anyone anymore. It's not that... I mean... I don't believe that anyone can cure it except yourself. Everybody else lies, if they believe that it is possible. I learned a lot in the circus, I learned a lot from you. But the most important thing, I always knew. You decide if it kills you or not", Malena said. They were hiding in the dark building, which Credence had destroyed. The darkness hid them from the eyes of the non magic and the aurors. They both had no idea what they were waiting for. But still, they stayed there. "I decide if it kills me. I decide if it kills me, Malena. And I decide if it kills someone else, right?", a crazy glance showed up in Credence eyes, but Malena did not notice. There was something she had to tell him. "You know what a Maledictus is. The carrier of a bloodcurse. And that's the point. A curse. It's not a disease, it's not like an obscurus. I got cursed, Credence. Because I did something wrong", she said and tried to sound calm, which did not really work. "Everybody does things wrong, and if you got cursed... I don't have a problem with you, because you are a Maledictus", Credence tried to reassure her. "You don't understand what I am saying. I am cursed, Credence. And not in the sense you think. Someone cursed me, and if I ever get a child, it could get the curse too. Even if my child is not cursed, her children will be, and everybody that comes after me. And you know why? It is totally stupid, you don't want to know it. But I have to tell you, because if I don't, I can't live with myself. I lied, I betrayed all the friends I once had, my family, so I could survive, in my home town. For money, for my own sake. Once I met a witch, and I needed food and... I pretended to be someone I was not, pretended to be helpless, so I could get her money. The witch found out, and she told me that everybody should see the monster I am, the snake which is myself. And now I am turning into a real snake, because I did bad things, some of them I won't tell you, because to talk about it makes it just worse. I am not like you, Credence. I deserve to be a monster, I deserved to suffer and you should go... You should leave me, now, before I hurt you, I betray you or worse. I should have told you before. I should have told you many times. You have your own destiny, your own fate, but you can fight against it. I can't. I don't want you to fail, after everything you have done. But if you stay with me any longer, you will fail, you will die, because a raven and a snake aren't supposed to be together", Malena said, wiping tears from her face, but she stood up resiliently from the dark corner. Credence had no idea what she wanted to do, but it probably was nothing good. "Malena. You're not going anywhere alone. I am not leaving you, no matter what you say, no matter what you did. I killed at least three people if not more and destroyed about twenty or thirty buildings. Your past does not define you. You said that there is always something better than death. I know what happens if you leave people alone, abandon them, in hope to make your own life better. If I leave you, you're almost dead. And who cares if we aren't supposed to be together? You saved my life, do you really think that I would leave you when you need me most? I love you Malena, and that won't change, even if you are a serial killer", Credence said, and in the second he whispered her name, she took his hand, and they both walked out of the shadow. Even though they had no idea what to do next, they would survive somehow, because they decided.

Secrets hurt more when you realized too late that you had them. Leta could not look back without thinking that she had done so many things wrong, too many lies, too many bad things she said. She especially regretted the things she said to Newt. Leta Lestrange had been in love with Newt Scamander since her sixth year. And she did not even realize it. Realize how much she had, and now, now that she saw him again, she realized that she should have loved him when she had the chance to. But instead of dong so, she had pushed him away, every word like a knife in her hands. As if Newt had not given her his everything, as if he had not deserved to be loved more than anybody else. But she had given her chance away, she told herself, every night, when she was crying, back-to-back with Theseus. But now, now, as Newt was really standing in front of her, she realized that she would never be able to love Theseus as much as she loved his brother. Newt didn't deserve her, he deserved someone that appreciated him, someone who would never break his heart, someone that did not value freedom over everything, even over friendship, someone who had not been scared of love for her whole life. Newt deserved someone who was not her. She had to do him this last favor, she had to help him hunt down Grindelwald, the only way to make up her sins, because in her heart, she still felt like a traitor. She would have betrayed him and Theseus and everybody around her, just to feel free. But there were two thoughts in her brain, two that tried to devour her. One was that she was a traitor and the other thought was that she could be free. Grindelwald would have understood her, someone who felt misunderstood. And her brain had realized that Grindelwald was trying to get the outcasts to join him, that this was manipulation, but still, if she had stopped crying, if she ran out of tears in the morning, she thought about her life as an acolyte. Traitor, it echoed back to her. One day, she would have to decide between betrayal and selflessly loving the brother of the person she was helplessly in love with. But Newt should be happy, was the third thought, the thought that built her up again, the only thing that made her run right now, the only thing that stopped her from breaking. Leta had been in Paris, every easter and stayed with Newt every Christmas. The memories would haunt her, even if she would get over it somehow. Leta wanted a new beginning, but she knew that what she wanted was not important anymore. Leta Lestrange had learned that you had to be selfless too, because if you are not, you lose what you want to have over everything else.

As Newt apparated into the arena, he heard someone else apparating too. It was Gellert Grindelwald, and in the second as he was apparating, someone else disapparated, followed by the words of Grindelwald: "You had one job, Krall, and that was not getting anyone killed before I arrive" He did not know where Leta ran, he just saw Queenie begging up to Grindelwald, next to Jacob. Something had happened to Jacob, he had been attacked, but why? Even though it hurt Newt, he had to fight Grindelwald first. A second later, Theseus stood next to him. They both did not question why the other was there. The only tthing Newt could do was stare at Jacob, who was bleeding. In his head, he went through every healing pracitice he knew. Nothing that could help him. But there had to be something that could help him. He realized that Tina was climbing down the arena, into the sand and hugged her crying sister, Leta was following her. And in all this mess, alone, no acolyte next to him, everybody disapparated, was standing Grindelwald, smiling like an angel. And then Newt realized, no other muggle except Jacob had been hurt, no muggleborn, no squib and all lions faded to light. Grindelwald had never planned on killing anyone except Jacob, it had all been a trap, to get Newt here. This was the first time in Newts life, where he really thought that life had no sense anymore and that it would not change anything if he gave up now. "Queenie? Anything? Do you really want to see your beloved muggle dying in front of you? I always thought of Jacob as a good human being, someone who really deserved to be respected by the wizarding community. He would be, if you just... If you would accept my favor. Of course, you would have to return something for it... Giving up your mind reading abilities", Gellert Grindelwald whispered, his victory in his voice, in the stone under his feet, as if Newt was not ready to fight him every second. But as Queenie was looking up to Grindelwald, Newt saw that she was broken. "I'll do whatever you want", she murmured. Theseus exchanged a look with him, they were both ready to attack Grindelwald. But the dark wizard told them, without moving his eyes from Queenie: "I have to save a life first, we can do your silly duel later" With only this one sentence, he jumped into the arena and landed right next to Jacob. With his strange looking wand, he touched Jacobs bleeding wounds, singing some song like sounding incantation. Newt almost wanted to jump up there too, but Theseus reminded him quietly that they should be prepared to face a dark wizard in the next second. He saw Tina gasping, as she saw the wand. "That's the...", but she suddenly went quiet, and stared at Newt for the next seconds. Newt had no problem with looking at Tina, she was a wonderful person, beautiful and, even though he would never be able to confess it to her, she was the most lovable person in his life. But the fear in her eyes made all the thoughts in his brain stop. Something was wrong. Something was different from in every other duel he had ever thought in. Theseus seemed a little worried too, he murmured in Newts direction: "It can't be... Listen to me, we can rock this duel, even though this is Grindelwald. We can win, no matter what. You've got your case? Good. I'll wait until Grindelwald healed the muggle, and then we confront him" Newt did not know if he should feel insulted, because one of his best friends just had been degraded to "the muggle" or happy that his brother trusted him. Think positive, he reminded himself. The dark wizard stood up, and tried to fix his hair. "Mr. Grindelwald, now that you are finished...", Theseus began, but he went quiet, as Queenie stared at him with an evil glance, telling him to shut up, while she touched her hand with her wand and pulled a silver strand out of it. It looked like she was trying to tear a memory out of it, but Newt knew that it were her abilities. A few months ago, he would have never believed that someone like Queenie could lose their abilities. But they were facing Grindelwald, and Grindelwald believed that everything was possible. As Queenie handed the silver strand into a phial, which Tina handed her, she quickly gave it to Grindelwald. A second there was only silence until Queenie looked around herself, raindrops had made her hair wet, but the tears in her eyes could not be covered by that. Her hands on her ears, as if the silence could kill her, as if she could protect herself from the pain, of losing something that has been with you your whole life, would not hurt her. Queenie Goldstein had built walls around her heart, one higher than the other, to help herself control it, the voices in her head. And everything she ever had, had now been taken from her. It began like it had begun last time, a part of Eulalies prophecy had been fulfilled, and now the rest would follow. One of them will lose everything to save another.

Newt had no strategy, except that his brother would distract Grindelwald. It was strange — even though he had not seen Theseus in a long time, they knew each other too good. Newt would survive, they would survive, because they had each other. And strangely, Newt felt thrown back into his time at Hogwarts, every Christmas eve, when Leta was crying over her brother, next to the Christmas tree, Newt hugged her and Theseus listened. Theseus had always been there for him, before he had wanted to be an auror. But maybe that was the reason why he had wanted to be one: he wanted to save those who needed him. He Newt Scamander had no doubt that Theseus could fight against the darkest wizard in history, no doubt that he would win. But as he looked at Grindelwalds wand again, the realization hit him like a lightning bolt, as Grindelwald was casting the first spell. It was the elder wand. The only wand that could not be beaten. For a moment, Newt looked around. There she was, Porpentina Goldstein. She was saving the dizzy Jacob from fiendfyre, comforting her sister and telling Leta that they would make it out alive. Tina gave everything she had, and so much more. She was his giver and in this strange moment, where he tried to protect himself from Grindelwalds spells and heard in his right ear his brothers curses, at this moment, he truly realized it. He loved Tina. And then she was shouting at him: "I'll get Jacob, Queenie and Leta out of here!" And in her eyes, he knew that there was not enough time to be awkward, he would have to focus on the duel, as fast as possible. He had to decide: Now or never. "I love you, Tina!", he screamed louder than he had ever screamed in his life. The whole world should know it. Her smile made his heart melt, before he heard her disapparate and faced Grindelwald again. Even if he would die, even if he failed, even he did everything he never wanted to do, even if Grindelwald was winning over them. Even if he would die today, or tomorrow would the world burn in flames and everybody would no longer exist, no matter what happened now... Tina also loved him. And that was everything he needed to fight. There were so many things he would have loved to do with her: he would have wanted to go to the cinema with her, teach her how to pet a niffler right, and he would have, over all, wanted to kiss her, do normal couple things. But they were both anything but normal and that made it so special. He would fight, fight for everything they had ever had. He would fight because Tina loved him back.


	31. Chapter 30 - the brave Slytherin

**Hello everybody, thanks for reading my Story!**

 **xoxo Leviosa, hope you enjoy!**

 **Chapter 30**

"You really believe in this, do you? In your little world with your sweet fluffy romance and your beasts that you can ban in to your case. As if the world was so naive, as if you would get your happy end, just because you fight for it", he heard Grindelwald laugh. "At least we've got something to fight for, you just have the greater good or emptiness", Newt said. Clearly, the dark wizard did not like that. He moved his wand in strange circles and summoned walls of blue fiend fire so much more than ever before, in the sky. Newt had never ever seen something similar in his whole life. He nervously tried to open his suitcase, but failed the first time. Theseus would hold his back, he would protect him until he was ready. Newt really tried to concentrate, but the duel in the back of his head made him too scared. Too scared, his hands were shaking too much too actually open the case. Stupor. Protego. Imperio. Depulso. Crucio. Reductio. Too many spells and the noise of Theseus blocking all of them. But he would not be able to do this for hours. Newt awaited the clicking sound of the open case, but nothing ever came. "Oh come on!", he shouted at the case, which was answered by the sound an angry niffler makes when he really does not feel the need to leave his home. Click. One move, and Pickett, the bowtruckle, had opened the suitcase. He quickly went through a list of creatures that could help him in his situation. An erumpent was too friendly, a demiguise was too invisible and too shy, a dragon would only make more fire and would not solve the problem at all, the demiguise did not seem to be a solution either. But he accidentally closed the suitcase in fear and shook, because Grindelwalds voice now had been made magically louder. "I said: you can't fight me. I own the elder wand and you will have to die. But I don't want to be an evil animal torture person", Grindelwald said, with a wink of his wand, he held the case in his hands. And all the hope Newt had ever had was now gone.

Now, that he was able to look at the things happening, he saw that Theseus was nodding at him, full of sweat and ash from the fire. He wanted him to do something. But what was he supposed to do? Suddenly, a thought came to his mind. This was the only really advanced auror spell Theseus had ever taught him, because he knew that Newt hated learning defensive magic. Grindelwald did not have the shadow of mercy in his different colored eyes. "What are you going to do now? You know, you both believing in yourselves is a little sweet, but come on, we all know that violence is not a resolution. You can't win against me and I don't want to kill you. Just come on my side and I will reward you, make you my highest followers, my equals. But if you still fight... If you still try to resist... And if you are lying in front of me, dead", he waited a second, and then smiled, but this time it was not the smile of the angel, he was the devil on the inside and the outside. The worst thing about this whole duel was that Newt had the heavy feeling that Grindelwald was far ahead of them. And that he would have no problem with killing them. "Do you think Dumbledore will mourn for you?", Gellert Grindelwald whispered, still this dark smile on his lips. Newt would have never seen it coming, the aggression with which he almost threw his wand into their direction. But instead of his wand falling into Theseus hands, a wall out of blue fiend fire was flying into their direction. Newt knew that he would die, if he did not act fast now. He could not even exchange a look with Theseus, he piled his wand into the sand under them, trying to lay there, so the spell would not hit them. "Protego Maxima", he heard himself shout, and so did Theseus. Newt saw the shield around them build up, and he saw the fire coming into their direction, nearer and nearer. Newt now understood, he would never be able to win against Grindelwald. He would never ever be able to, and he hoped that Tina would not cry over his dead body, because he did not want her to hurt because of him. The fiend fire broke the protection shield in pieces and it haunted the stone steps, for a living being, someone to burn. Newt closed his eyes and whispered to Theseus: "I wanted to congratulate you on marrying Leta. You deserve her more than anyone" He tried to wish that afterlife would not be as painful as his death in a few seconds. Newt tasted the sand in his mouth, the sweat on his skin, his heart beating faster than ever, before it would stop beating at all, in the next few seconds. He felt the heat burning on his skin...

 _"Maybe he will, but not today"_

 _"Lestrange, Leta" It was the beginning of everything, the fight against herself and for the traditions of her family. The eleven-year-old Leta sat down, the sorting hats voice filled her whole head. You're an... interesting person, I must say, it said into her brain. In my years as a hat, I have never seen someone that was so... In war with his own personality. You want freedom, but cage your own mind. You have the potential to be brave you know, to do things nobody ever dared to do. And to fight your own demons... But you have to be brave to do so, really brave. If you hesitate any longer, if you still believe in the old traditions, if you refuse to realize what your family has done to you... It's your decision, Leta. "I don't want to betray my family", she whispered, but in the same second, she realized that they had betrayed her her whole life. Her father had abandoned her brother, he had left her mother just because pureblood was more important to him than love. He did not care about her, he just cared about his reputation. The only real family she had ever had probably starved on the steps of an orphanage. She should be brave. But everything that held her back was too heavy. She was not ready to leave, not now. And until she was ready, she would try to bear the pain, the memories, control it, like er father wanted her to. Slytherin!, screamed the hat, but before Leta stood up, she whispered to the sorting hat: "I'll leave them, some day. I'll be brave. The brave SLytherin" It was the beginning of everything, of all the things she wanted to forget._

 _"Who are you?", she asked him. She knew that the boy cowering next to her, on the couch, was Newts brother, because he looked so similar to him, but something was different. She knew him from the years she had stayed with Newt at Christmas, but she had never asked his brother for his name. What a stupid best friend she was. Leta was freezing, even though they were sitting next to the fireplace. "I'm Theseus. You can have my jacket", he explained and handed her his jacket without thinking too long. Her brain told her that she should refuse, that he was Newts brother. And she was just his younger brothers best friend. But she was freezing, she had an excuse. She had an excuse to look at him. "Thank you.", she whispered, not knowing why she was whispering. Theseus looked directly into her face, understanding in his eyes. "It's Christmas, you shouldn't thank me for anything, Newt would do the same thing and more", Theseus murmured. Letas brain told her to watch the snow outside the window falling down, but her eyes did not move, they stayed where they were, looking at her feet on the wooden floor, slowly touching Theseus feet. It was Christmas, Christmas... Credence birthday. She first noticed the tears as they made her socks wet. "My brother... He's probably dead now, today would be his birthday but...", she heard her sobbing, her father would now shout at her because she could not control herself. But Theseus took her hands, he didn't say anything, but it was more than Leta needed, he made her feel better, just with his existence. Just with his warm hands touching her skin, even though she did not really know him, he was there for her. "Hey. I will stay here. I won't leave you. You don't have a brother now. But Newt is there for you, always. And I can be there for you, if you want me to.", Theseus voice next to her ear, as he was hugging her. Leta had no one that really cared about her, no one except Newt and this boy that was there for her, even though she had never done anything for him. The tears stopped some time after, as she ran out of them, but what was left was Theseus, who held her. Even Newt needed some sleep, even Newt had to make breaks. And Theseus gave her everything he could afford to give her. And even though she would never be able to love Newt the same way as Theseus, she did not need to. She loved Newt, but she loved him as the brother she had never had And later she would think back to this day. That Newt slept all day because he stayed up the whole night before, that she met Theseus in the lonely living room. They met a few nights and again, Leta could only sleep when he saw his face. And she kissed him, in the middle of the night, in the dark. It had been their secret, only them and the despair in their both hearts. The desire of freedom and the only one that was there for her, in this mess of feelings. She didn't want to kiss him, not intentionally. They were both too tired to move, staying in each others arms. If Leta had had enough tears left, she would have probably still cried. But she couldn't and still Theseus understood her, the quiet scream of being freed of all the pain. His words burnt in her head, for eternity. "You want to forget? Just for a moment. And then you'll go back to reality, because you are strong, Leta. You are the strongest girl I know", Theseus murmured, his head next to her mouth. His lips touched her mouth and really, for a moment, she forgot everything around her._

 _Newt had been everything to her, the only example of true love she would have ever thought of. But now, as she heard Newt screaming Tinas name, seeing the smile on her face, she realized that true love was not always giving everything you had to someone, it was not this destroying, all taking love, the love she shared with Newt. It was holding her, when she needed only him and only him. Leta thought back to the day, when she had only been sixteen, the Christmas before Newt was expelled from Hogwarts. Maybe Theseus really was her true love. And this time she believed that it had been the right decision to choose him over Newt._

 _"Why are all the brothers so stupid? I mean, if I would meet death I wouldn't ask for something that could bring back death or that stuff. Also, I would imply into the wish that there are no ulterior motives on deaths side, I mean I would let him swear that there is no trick behind it and that it will work and that I won't die. I mean, everything else would just be stupid and I get that the third brother was the smartest, but choosing a cloak? What hallow would you choose, if you could?", Gellert asked him. Albus thought too much about everything, but this time, he had no answer. "I mean... Either the wand or the stone. You know... To get back my mother, but I know that it is the wrong answer. I know that it is wrong to try that, Gellert, I know. It's just... If you love someone so much that you want nothing more in the world to see them again? I know it sounds cheesy, but I feel like that it is the noblest of the three. The cloak is the wisest, but in the end, you are just hiding from death, like a coward. And the elder wand is the one who is the most usable. But... I want to say the stone. Just because I feel like it really does what you want it to do: it unites you with your loved ones, even if it means killing you. Gellert... Do you believe in true love?", Albus voice did not feel louder than a whisper. Gellert looked at him, one blink with his silver eye, then he looked away, before he began to speak. "I don't know. Do you? Define "true love". Is it the cheesy thing people talk about in romance novels? Or is it sacrificing your life for someone, you love, someone who is already dead, but you know that the only thing you can d to prove your love, the only thing you can do now to honor them, is prevent others from dishonoring them? Is true love the story of the second brother or is it just madness? Or is true love choosing someone over everybody else, over the world, over everything you want to achieve, every day, all over again? Maybe it is. And maybe did the second brother die the noblest death, die to see love again. But I don't think he died out of true love, Albus. Because if I,,,", Gellert stared at his shoes, his ears a little pink, took a deep breath and closed his eyes, before he continued: "Killing yourself is not the death of a hero, even though some heroes died this way. I would never kill myself, Albus. Not even if... I hate what I am saying, I sound so stupid, but it has to be said, because if I don't say it, you won't know. I would not kill myself, even if you die. I would die for you, but I would not kill myself just to see you again. Because you wouldn't want me to die like this and I wouldn't want me to die like that. I would die for you, Albus, I would die to save you, but I believe that the only deathly hallow desirable to achieve is the elder wand, because it doesn't... It makes you unbeatable, but it doesn't give you false promises. The stone makes you see your loved ones again, but it makes you mad. And the cloak... it waits on you, it waits for you to die someday, for you to be bored with life. I wouldn't want a life like that._  
 _Many died because of the elder wands powers, because they overestimated their skills. But knowing it makes you choose it, because you have a choice. You only choose the stone because you are desperate to see someone again, you decide to take the cloak because you want to be invisible, because of your own fear of others or your wit. Whatever, I am probably just talking nonsense. What I wanted to say was... Albus, true love is what you make it to be, just like we are making theories up about the three brothers. And you know if you believe in something, you make it come true", Gellert murmured, but something in his voice made Albus think that being seer revealed more than he wanted to tell him. There always was some truth in Gellerts words, even though he tried to hide it, the lies couldn't cover up the fact that he was a seer and that some of the things he said would come true. He knew more than he wanted to and this secret knowledge that it broke him. Broken but beautiful. Maybe that was Albus problem, not that he saw the good in people but that he saw their flaws too._

"Nice to meet you, I am...", he begun, but got interrupted by the woman in front of him. "You are Albus Dumbledore, transfiguration and defense against the dark arts' teacher at Hogwarts school for witchcraft and wizardry, Yes, I know who you are, Sir, and I know why you are here. But you won't find what you search for, Professor Dumbledore. I cannot answer any of your questions. The answers are inside you."


	32. Chapter 31 - happy endings don't last

**Hello everybody! I can't believe that this is the last chapter before the epilogue! Thanks to everybody reading it, I appreciate you all a lot. I'd like to hear your opinion on the Story to improve as a writer and just to hear your thoughts. By the way for all the Germans hear... I have been working on a Translation, so stay tuned if you'd like to read it!**

 **xoxo Leviosa**

 **Chapter 31**

"You know it, don't you?", he asked her, a cup of tea in his hands. "I am not going to tell you, if you mean that. Knowledge has killed too many, I don't want you to be one of them. Besides, you wouldn't understand me", Eulalie Hicks whispered, staring into her tea, as if he would answer her questions. "But I am incredibly good at understanding, Miss Hicks. I have heard of your sister and I understand you better than anyone", Albus tried to make it clear, but Eulalie just laughed at him. "As if you would understand anyone. As if you would really believe in people. Just a mask out of lies and manipulation, you're nothing more. I don't believe you understand me because of who I am, you just understand me because we both had a sister. And because Grindelwald destroyed both of ours lives. You don't understand me because I am who I am, but because you believe I can help you. Help you play people and then tell them you're their savior. Do you really think I would... I learned that it is better to keep myself out of wars and broken hearts business", she said. "I... I apologize", Dumbledore stuttered. "I didn't want to hurt you, I know what everybody says, but... I can't tell you about your thing with Gellert Grindelwald... I could change time with this and I've learned my lesson, I won't tell anyone too much Knowledge, Knowledge that took me my sister. But I can tell you... There is no cure and there never will be. The only person able to fight against the obscurus is the obscurial. Grindelwald hasn't won anything, Dumbledore, there is still a little hope left. May you use it wisely and let your weaknesses not take over you", Eulalie whispered. Albus almost spat out his tea. He had been right, all this time. There had never been a cure, the key was Credence. His belief could fight it, his own will of controlling it could cure him. It had been inside Credence all along.

He wanted to forget, he wanted to do something against this feeling. Was he suffocating or was this blood running out of him? He would die, he would die and it was more painful than in any of his nightmares. Jacob would have accepted it, but why did death had to hurt so much? He did not want to leave Queenie now, and he did not want to bleed out. He was a muggle, but why had a normal lion try to kill him? Technically, he was dying right now. But if he was dying, why could he still see Queenies beautiful face. Even if she was crying, she was still beautiful to him. More beautiful than any other person Jacob had ever seen. "Don't worry about me. You can fight against Grindelwald and then... I'll get better.. Somehow. Don't do something you'll regret later", he whispered. "If you do something for the right cause, it's not important if the thing is wrong. I don't want you... You will survive. Don't embarrass me right in front of Grindelwald", she said, laughing. But Jacob knew that she was just laughing because she did not want him to see her laughing. "You really sound like Grindelwald sometimes" "As long as I can save you, I don't care if I sound like Grindelwald, darling" Jacob did not know if he really heard her tears in her voice. As if she tried to express her emotions through just simple sentences. Jacob did not want her to call him darling. It made him think of everything he had to go through, just to be together. And now he was dying and destroyed everything they ever had. His eyes became too heavy, he had to close them. Maybe dying really did not hurt, maybe it really felt like sleeping in. Except that he would not wake up this time. "I am not going to let you die just right in front of me, while I remember that I am actually a pukwudgie and that I should be able to heal you. But I can't. Jacob, I listened to people all my life. I heard tragedies, stories and I swore myself every time that I would never let one of these things happen to me. And now I'm here and I can't do anything... I never felt so useless, ever", she whispered and her tears fell down on Jacobs jacket. "You aren't useless", was Jacobs response, but it was nothing more than a weak whisper. "I'll do whatever you want", echoed through his head. He could not fight it any longer, he felt too weak, he needed blood and something that could stop these wounds from tearing him apart.

But he still woke up.

"Hey. We all survived. I didn't... I did not believe that we would, but we did it", Tina whispered awkwardly. "I don't regret anything. I don't regret anything I said, I would say it again and again. Just so you know. I love you, Porpentina Goldstein. I love you sounds good but kind of wrong. Not that I wouldn't love you, but... Love seems so small. I don't think love is enough. How am I going to say this? Tina... I don't have to protect you, I don't have to save you from everything, you are strong enough on your own. You don't need me, because you are yourself enough. You can take care of yourself, you know what you are capable of. You are my heroine, Tina. And I love you, I love you for every time you came after me, even though I totally told you not to do so, because you knew that it would just get me in trouble. And you know what I love most about you? It's not that you're beautiful — don't get me wrong, you are the most beautiful being on this planet, but I love you because you are yourself. And I want to have you next to me, every day, every second of my life. I don't know why. Probably because I hope that you forget what stupid things I've done for others in my life. Others that did not love me back. I know you don't need me, but I need you. And if you ever... If you ever need me... You can come to me and hug a niffler or me. I know you'd prefer to hug the niffler. Anyway, I... I am telling you this, not because I've got the courage to do so, I'm actually sweating and not ready to talk about my feelings, but I've realized... I've realized that it would be an egoistic decision to not tell you about it.", Newt tried to stop the stutter in his head, but he slowly didn't care about it anymore. With every word, Tinas eyes widened, just like her smile. Tina was not beautiful, not like Leta. She was more than that, every time she smiled, her eyes smiled with her, just like the whole universe around them. She was a new kind of beautiful, a better kind, her own kind. And he did not want to let her go, he did not want to wait and watch her marry someone else. "You're right. With everything. Except I'd prefer to hug you, not the niffler. And I love you too. I love you a lot", Tina said, while looking right into his eyes. Newt knew that she had not been sure if he would survive, that she had worried about him, that she had taken Leta, her sister and Jacob out of the situation, not to save herself, she could have fought if she wanted to, but she had rescued his former best friend, because she had known that he wanted them to be save, and she believed that he would get out of it alive without her help and that he wouldn't want her to stay. Newt had no idea how he could think so much, even though he was actually just staring at Tina. Everything about her was tina-ful, the new kind of beautiful. Everything, from the way she tried to fix her hair, her awkward but pretty smile, how she lifted her eyebrows when she did not understand something. Her intelligence was tina-ful, just like her courage and her need to be a rebell, to have adventures or break the rules to do what was right. Tina could do so many things at once and still had the time to stand here and smile at him. The words flooded out of him like a river, all stutter gone: "I'd prefer to kiss you now. If you don't mind" "I'd like that. I'd like that very much", Tina stated, laughing a little. And now, as it all was said and done, the only thing that was left to do for them was to wait for what was about to come, what would happen next.

"Are you okay?", was the first thing he said, after he woke up. He felt dizzy and almost wanted to sleep in again, but he remembered that he had slept enough. "Yeah, I am. But how are you, darling?", Queenie asked him. Jacob noticed that she was more pale than usual and that her hair was completely messy. She was still beautiful, no matter if she wore make up or not, no matter how often she comed her hair, no matter if she smiled or was sad. It did not change the person she was, the person Jacob saw in her. And he saw her as someone deep, someone who could understand others better because she had dealt with pain and even though she had seen so much, she was still able to enjoy her life, she had still the ability to smile, to let the sun in herself shine, even though it rained outside. Jacob would have never thought that he would find out that they were wizards, he would have never imagined that he could fall in love with someone who saw him as the person he really was, someone who could care for herself, but it helped her that he was with her. He would have never thought that he was able to love someone who was so different from him, but still in his heart, they had a deep understanding of eachother. "I am fine, considering that I almost died. But you... You sacrificed a part of yourself, just to save me? I mean... I love you no matter what, but... You shouldn't have to make a trade with Grindelwald, Sunshine. I am sorry, it's my fault. But we will deal with it somehow. I am not going to leave you, no matter how bad everything gets", Jacob said, even though his throat hurt. But in the second as he heard Queenie giggle, he knew that something had happened. She was so full of happiness, as if all her worries had faded for a little while, for the moment that he glanced at her. She was the old Queenie again. The Queenie, that was not scared that he would die, the Queenie who was fascinated by the way he was, the Queenie that had fallen in love with him. And he was grateful that she was back, because he loved her, just like he had loved her from the moment he had seen her. "I love you too Jacob, but I listened to the words of my sister. She says I should see my abilities as a gift, not as a curse. I did and it turns out that being a smart independent woman would pay off some day. I didn't really lose my mind reading abilities, I am not sure if that is possible, and if it is, it would take a little more than just taking a memory out of my brain. Grindelwald now possesses a memory from when I was a little child. I used to sing a lot, but I gave it up someday. I hope he will never get over my favorite song and I hope it gets stuck in his head", She smiled at him, her smile was like the sun, but brighter. Jacob felt proud, proud of the person he loved most in the world, the person who had been smart enough to save him and still escape from all the terror. "You are a miracle, Queenie", Jacob told her. Queenies smile felt like chocolate melting on his tongue, he could never get enough of it. "Seems like we really get a happy end after all", Queenies words would stay in his heart forever. Remember him that they would be together and that there was nothing and no one able to tear them apart.

 _There were moments in his life he wanted to take pictures of and hold them inside him forever, moments he wanted to replay again and again when he felt low. When Albus laughed and then looked at Gellert, with pure joy in his eye, he saw him as he was. Gellert wanted to kiss him in that moment, he wanted to make this moment last forever. He was smiling like a fool, and he secretly hoped that Albus knew what he was thinking. It was too obvious, there were too many things he had said and done. But he tried to convince himself that he did not want it, even though he did. A future ruler should not bite his lip because he was thinking about the boy in front of him too much. Maybe he was cursed, cursed of wanting too much. He knew that loving Albus Dumbledore was bad for him, that he did not deserve him in any way. Love ruined his life, love ruined everything he had ever dreamed of. Villains did not fall in love with the heroes. Albus Dumbledore was his complete opposite and even though he now believed in his theories, there would be a point where he would realize that it was not the right thing to torture non magic people. Albus Dumbledore would always do the right thing, no matter what. And Gellert liked to pretend that this summer could last forever, that he would never have to move on, that Albus would never see what an awful human being he was. And if he had told him right now, he would have tried to persuade him that he was good, that someone with so many insecurities could never be evil. But Albus was wrong, for the first time in his life. "Gellert", his own name from Albus voice made him almost squeak as he was torn out of his thoughts. "I am currently thinking about my world domination plans, Al. This is important, don't disturb me", Gellert whispered. Albus rolled his eyes at him. "No you're not. You look like a dreamy teenage girl. I don't believe you." He hated hearing that Albus was almost about to laugh. He shouldn't care about these little things, he shouldn't care about Albus at all. He should not care about others in general, he should care about himself the most. There were two Grindelwalds inside him: the one that wanted to rule a better world, who was the one that wanted things to change, and the one that wanted to be good, the part who was totally in love with Albus, the kind person in himself. Normally, he would have not liked to admit it, but he liked being kind. He liked when people smiled at him, when someone was happy because of him, when he could help others. Especially Albus. Maybe that was the reason he was not a dictator, the reason why he manipulated others with kindness. It was frightening, even for himself, that he could combine these two Grindelwalds so good._ _"If I had to be honest, I'd say that I thought about the reason you did not already leave me crying under my bed, why you did not already realize that I am not the one you want me to be, that I am not good enough, that I am not a good person. And still you are here. I don't understand you, even though I want to", Gellert said, while he wanted the rain outside to flood in and carry him and his feelings away. Albus played with his long auburn hair, which woke the desire to touch it in Gellerts brain, before he tried to wash this thought away. Gellert had no idea how he could love this boy so much, how he loved the way he bit his lip now, how he wanted to look away, how he tried to decide if he was really ready to share this piece of himself with Gellert. The only thing Gellert would want to last see while he was dying was Albus face, Albus eyes and Albus smiling beautifully, just like he was doing it right now. It was terrifying how beautiful this smile was. "I see it in your eyes. Right now, in both your eyes. You try to hide it, you try to overcome and control your fears, and it works most of the time. But I can see it. I see the fear in your eyes. It's not about your fear of failing, what I see in your eyes is your uncontrollable fear of being good. You are scared, Gellert. Scared, that you could be someone you did not plan to be, scared of losing the control of the things you want to be. You are scared that I win. You really fear that I am able to change you, that I can make you give up the dark inside yourself. As long as I know this, I can see the good inside you, all the things you told me, all the times you were weak. All these walls you try to build around your heart, they don't work for me. And I love you, I love you for all the lies you did not tell me, every time your heart won over your mind. You can't do anything against love, Gellert Grindelwald. And I truly love you"_


	33. Epilogue

**The epilogue takes place in 1945, as the legendary duel of Gellert Grindelwald and Albus (insert all his names) Dumbledore was fought.**

 **Love, Leviosa**

 **He didn't want to do this, but he had avoided him for too long, he couldn't hesitate any longer. If Albus Dumbledore would wait any longer, more and more people would die and again, it would be only his fault. Newt had fought for too long, but he was here, ready to fight, to fight even it would cost his life. Even though the odds were against him and his brain told him that this was a mistake, his heart still believed. One of Newt Scamanders biggest mistakes in his whole life was being too loyal. Dumbledore saw that Grindelwald was ready to kill anyone in his way. His way to a better world, a way full of blood and sacrifices and lies, so many lies. "You can't win against me, Newt", Gellert whispered. "Umm... My philosophy is that there is no wall high enough and no challenge hard enough, if you try to do it, if you believe in yourself, then you have a chance of doing it. And even if I fail, I will have tried, which is more than anyone else did" Grindelwald almost laughed, but it was a sad laugh. "He said, and died the death of a hero. His loyalties broke him, but they all knew that he did more than anyone else ever dared to do: he dared to challenge me to a duel", he said, "There is always a way to stop this. I don't want to kill you, you are too bright to be killed. But it is your decision, and we all have to live with our decisions, even though I'd prefer not to fight against you, Mr. Scamander" Dumbledore couldn't watch from the shadows any longer. "Newt, there are more important things to do right now. Help Tina, she will probably just get a huge scar on her right arm, but you should be there for her. I'll deal with Grindelwald", he said to Newt. Newt lifted one eyebrow as a protest, but left faster than he would have thought. Why was it them every time? Why did it have to end like this? He didn't want to fight against Grindelwald, but he had to. He had to do it for Newt, for the next generation. "And I thought we were on a first name basis", Gellert smiled sadly, he looked away, as if something would happen, when he looked into Albus eyes. His intuition told him that this was more than just a possibility. "We both don't want to do this, do we?", Gellert Grindelwald said, and this time Dumbledore was more than sure that it was sadness, was what he heard out of his voice. But there was no time to pity Grindelwald. "You said that no one ever dared to challenge you to a duel. That's a lie. Are you so willing to give up your past? Is everything you say a lie? Everything you ever told me? Believe me, I just want to know. The truth, for once in my life", Dumbledore didn't speak that loud, but it still felt as if he was screaming his words into the wind. He was surprised by the bitterness in his voice, the tears in his eyes, the memories in his head and he was surprised that he could still feel the broken pieces of his heart hurting. He would never forget and even if he could, he would not want to. Because even after all, even though he tried to tell himself he just imagined something,, he still knew the good outweighed the bad, and he could not hide that it hurt even more because he knew that they could have had everything, that he had truly loved Gellert. Grindelwald looked up and for a second, he saw into his eyes. And what Dumbledore saw was worse than hate, it was regret. "Albus... I never... I never lied to you" "Yes, you did, Gellert. Stupefy!", he said and as he said it, he regretted casting the first spell. It wasn't Grindelwald who forced him to do it. It had been his idea. With a wink of his hand, Gellert made a shield around him and the spell didn't even touch the sand under his feet. "You manipulated me. The whole time, again and again. You used me for your own cause. For your greater good. And I regret having trusted you", Dumbledore said. He didn't have to look at Gellert, they both knew that he was lying. "It is all my fault, Albus. It is and there is nothing that is wrong with hating me from your point of few. You can hate me because of Ariana, because of Aberforth. But remember that I tried to save her and that I wrote you a letter after he had broken your nose. I take the blame, I take it all, because I deserve to be punished for wanting to rule the world in the wrong way.", he stared directly into Albus eyes and for a second, they both didn't move. Grindelwald took a deep breath, looked away and began to speak again. "You can hate me, Albus, because of what I have done to the world and to your family. You can hate me because I am who I am, but, I beg you, don't hate me, because you believe that I manipulated you" Was he imagining this? He had to, it wasn't possible that tears stood in Gellerts eyes. It was strange, that he had attacked him, that the dark wizard did not defend himself. Grindelwald should fight against him, he should be the brutal ruler, the world thought him to be. But instead he made it seem as if he didn't even want to fight. Then, Albus casted a spell. He didn't even really know why he did it. Expelliarmus. But Gellert Grindelwald didn't even try to pick up his wand. He just began to speak again. "Why does it have to be this way? Why does everyone think that I manipulated you? Why does no one say you manipulated me? Because that is what you did to me. I knew it. You would destroy my life. You would win. And you don't believe me when I say that. But look at you: here I stand, I should be the one attacking you. I should be the one, ready to do everything to kill you, so I become the ruler of the greater world. I don't. From every person in this world, why did I have to fight against you? The only person I am not ready to sacrifice for the greater good. My brain tells me that this is the biggest mistake of my life. But my heart says that it is the only way to peace I have. I knew it, I knew it since the day I first met you. You are the only person I love more than myself. A love great enough to move the world. You make me do this, Albus. I shouldn't say this, because it is stupid and no one would want to hear this, because it's too cheesy. I would give up everything for you. You know, I would sacrifice myself to save you. Didn't I tell you? I live or I die, it's your decision. You make me give up everything. Even the greater good. I shouldn't feel this way, no one should feel a love this great, that it breaks everything around it, all the rules, everything I ever believed in. You did it, you made me good, you made me give up everything. I shouldn't love you this way but I do, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. And now call the aurors, I have some friends around here, they will tell them from our duel. You know, just the greatest duel in the history of magic. Take the elder wand, you don't even need it, but you are its best master. But I feel better now, now that you know, I love you", Grindelwald smiled, a real smile, a smile full of happiness. It was the smile of the good Gellert, the one Albus had fallen in love with. He really had won, Gellert really chose him over every one. Even over himself and all the things he had wanted to achieve. In the end, their love had been great enough to change the world. Their story was over now, but the memories would stay. And this time, Albus wanted to remember.**


End file.
